Lenvatinib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Support: No funding was received in the publication of this article. L iver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death, and has limited treatment options and a poor prognosis. Mortality owing to liver cancer has increased in the past 20 years, with a reported incidence of 841,080 cases per year. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents about 90% of primary liver cancer cases. Multiple single agent and combination therapies have been investigated for the treatment of HCC but failed to show clinical benefit. Recently, the European Commission granted marketing authorisation to the oral receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor lenvatinib mesylate (Lenvima; Eisai, Tokyo, Japan), for the first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced or unresectable HCC who have not received prior systemic therapy. This is the first new first-line treatment option for advanced or unresectable HCC to be approved in Europe in 10 years. Approval was based on the results of the REFLECT study. In an expert interview, Miguel Marcao discusses the findings of this study and the next steps in the clinical development of lenvatinib for the treatment of HCC.