Analyses of objective response rate, progression‐free survival, and adverse events in hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with lenvatinib: A multicenter retrospective study

<jats:sec><jats:title>Aim</jats:title><jats:p>The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive factors of objective response rate (ORR) and progression‐free survival (PFS), and the correlation of albumin‐bilirubin (ALBI) grade with decreased appetite and fatigue in hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with lenvatinib.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>From March 2018 to December 2018, a total of 94 patients was included in this retrospective multicenter study.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>The median age of all patients was 73 years (interquartile range 66–79.3 years), and approximately 78% patients were men. The ALBI grade was 1, 2, and 3 in 27 (28.7%), 64 (68.1%), and three patients (3.2%), respectively. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage was early, intermediate, and advanced in one (1.1%), 22 (23.4%), and 71 patients (75.5%), respectively. Best radiological response was determined to complete response, partial response, stable disease, and progressive disease in 0 (0.0%), 24 (30.4%), 38 (48.1%), and 17 patients (21.5%), respectively, giving the ORR of 30.4%. The 3‐, 6‐, and 12‐month PFS was calculated to be 78.7% (95% CI 70.3–87.1%), 46.7% (95% CI 36.1–57.3%), and 17.4% (95% CI 6.6–28.2%). Multivariate analysis showed that the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer intermediate stage was shown to be the only significant factor affecting the ORR (odds ratio 3.78, 95% CI 1.14–12.5, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = 0.030) and PFS (hazard ratio 0.49, 95% CI 0.26–0.94, P = 0.030). The incidence of all grades of decreased appetite and fatigue was significantly less in patients with ALBI grade 1 compared with ALBI grade 2 + 3.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title><jats:p>The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer intermediate stage was the predictive factor affecting the ORR and PFS, and ALBI grade was a good predictive factor affecting the incidence of fatigue and decreased appetite.</jats:p></jats:sec>