First-Line Durvalumab-Tremelimumab in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Real-World Data from Turkey

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Hepatology
• Immunotherapy

Background:

• Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major global cause of cancer mortality.
• The STRIDE regimen (durvalumab plus tremelimumab) shows promise, but real-world data, especially in Turkey, is scarce.
• This study addresses the need for real-world effectiveness and safety data of first-line STRIDE therapy for unresectable HCC.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the real-world effectiveness and safety of first-line durvalumab plus tremelimumab (STRIDE regimen) in unresectable HCC patients.
• To assess progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in a routine clinical practice setting.
• To identify potential prognostic factors influencing treatment outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective multicenter study involving 32 patients with unresectable HCC treated with first-line durvalumab plus tremelimumab.
• Data collected through the Turkish national Early Access Program across 18 oncology centers.
• Kaplan-Meier method for PFS and OS estimation; exploratory Cox regression for prognostic factors.

Main Results:

• Median PFS was 7.25 months; median OS was 11.43 months.
• Non-viral liver disease was the most common etiology (53.1%), followed by HBV (40.6%) and HCV (6.3%).
• Grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events were infrequent (<10% of patients).

Conclusions:

• First-line durvalumab plus tremelimumab appears feasible and well-tolerated in a real-world cohort of unresectable HCC patients.
• Findings suggest potential efficacy, but should be interpreted cautiously due to study limitations.
• Larger, prospective, comparative studies are required to validate these real-world observations.