Clinical Evaluation of Ramucirumab for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC): Place in Therapy.
Khalil ChoucairSyed KamranAnwaar SaeedPublished in: OncoTargets and therapy (2021)
Hepatocellular carcinoma remains one of the leading causes of death from cancer worldwide as most cases are diagnosed at an advanced disease stage. Ramucirumab, a human anti-VEGFR-2 monoclonal antibody, is approved as a monotherapy for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and α-fetoprotein levels ≥400 ng/mL previously treated with sorafenib. As most patients present with an advanced disease, patients with α-fetoprotein levels ≥400 ng/mL have an aggressive disease and a poor prognosis, making ramucirumab an important treatment option for this subgroup of patients. This article provides a comprehensive review of the clinical efficacy of ramucirumab as highlighted in the two major trials that lead to its approval. We also briefly review the agent pharmacologic properties, as well as its safety and toxicity profile, before discussing certain limitations and challenges associated with ramucirumab use. Finally, we review completed and ongoing clinical trials and focus on those involving ramucirumab-based combinations, namely with immune therapy.
Keyphrases
- poor prognosis
- end stage renal disease
- newly diagnosed
- clinical trial
- ejection fraction
- long non coding rna
- combination therapy
- monoclonal antibody
- endothelial cells
- peritoneal dialysis
- clinical evaluation
- randomized controlled trial
- stem cells
- squamous cell carcinoma
- young adults
- open label
- cell therapy
- study protocol
- vascular endothelial growth factor
- phase iii
- smoking cessation
- double blind