Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 18, 2025
Y-90 Radioembolization and PD-1 Inhibitor as Neoadjuvant Treatment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Published on: May 24, 2024
Clinical Impact of Serum CRP Levels on Advanced HCC Treated With Durvalumab and Tremelimumab: A Multicentre Study
Takeshi Hatanaka1, Yutaka Yata2, Atsushi Hiraoka3
1Department of Gastroenterology, Gunma Saiseikai Maebashi Hospital, Maebashi, Japan.
Insights
Low C-reactive protein (CRP) levels predict better outcomes for advanced liver cancer patients treated with durvalumab and tremelimumab. Elevated CRP indicates a poorer prognosis, highlighting CRP as a key prognostic biomarker.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunotherapy
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents significant treatment challenges.
- Durvalumab and tremelimumab (Dur/Tre) offer a therapeutic option for advanced HCC.
- Identifying predictive biomarkers is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the therapeutic efficacy of Dur/Tre in advanced HCC.
- To evaluate C-reactive protein (CRP) as a prognostic biomarker in this patient cohort.
- To determine the association between pre-treatment CRP levels and patient outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective multicentre study of 167 advanced HCC patients treated with Dur/Tre.
- Patients categorized into low-CRP (<1 mg/dL) and high-CRP (≥1 mg/dL) groups.
- Analysis of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) based on CRP levels.
Main Results:
- The low-CRP group exhibited significantly longer PFS (3.6 months) and superior OS (1-year survival 64.7%) compared to the high-CRP group (PFS 2.4 months, OS 7.9 months).
- Pre-treatment serum CRP level was identified as an independent predictive factor for both PFS and OS.
- No significant differences in immune-related adverse events were observed between CRP groups.
Conclusions:
- Serum CRP is a valuable prognostic biomarker for advanced HCC patients undergoing Dur/Tre therapy.
- Lower CRP levels are associated with improved survival outcomes.
- CRP may help predict treatment efficacy and guide clinical decision-making.
Aim:
This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and prognostic significance of C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving durvalumab and tremelimumab (Dur/Tre).
Methods:
A total of 167 patients treated with Dur/Tre between March 2023 and March 2024 in Japanese hospitals were included in this retrospective multicentre study. Patients were divided into two groups based on pre-treatment serum CRP levels: the low-CRP group (< 1 mg/dL, n = 106) and the high-CRP group (≥ 1 mg/dL, n = 61).
Results:
The median age of the cohort was 74.0 years (interquartile range, 67.5-79.5), and 139 patients (83.2%) were male. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.6 months (95% CI: 2.6-5.4) in the low-CRP group and 2.4 months (95% CI: 1.9-4.1) in the high-CRP group, with statistical significance (p = 0.02). The median overall survival (OS) was not reached in the low-CRP group, with a 1-year survival rate of 64.7% (95% CI: 49.0-76.7), while it was 7.9 months (95% CI: 5.8-11.8) in the high-CRP group. The low-CRP group demonstrated significantly better survival outcomes compared to the high-CRP group (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified serum CRP level as an independent predictive factor for both PFS and OS (p = 0.04 and < 0.001, respectively). No significant differences in immune-related adverse events were observed between the two groups.
Conclusions:
Serum CRP may serve as a prognostic biomarker in HCC patients receiving Dur/Tre, with a potential association with treatment efficacy.
Related Concept Videos
02:56Treatment Resistant Cancers
01:24Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Biologic Agents: Anti-TNF