Overall Survival Among Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated With External Beam Radiation Therapy: Individual Patient Data Outcomes From a Multinational Cohort

Cancer research · Hepatocellular carcinoma

OS outcomes with EBRT for very early‑ and early‑stage HCC appear to be comparable with resection, thermal ablation, and other ablative locoregional therapies, supporting its inclusion in BCLC HCC clinical decision‑making.

This international individual patient data (IPD) meta‑analysis of 4,913 HCC patients treated with liver‑directed external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) evaluated overall survival (OS). Median OS was 6.8 years for BCLC‑0 and 4.6 years for BCLC‑A, with treatment‑naïve patients showing particularly favorable survival. Ablative radiation dose and more recent treatment years were associated with reduced mortality risk, and OS in very early‑ and early‑stage HCC was comparable to that seen with resection, thermal ablation, and other locoregional therapies.

These findings expand therapeutic options for early‑stage HCC, demonstrating that EBRT can achieve survival outcomes similar to surgery and ablation and should be considered a viable first‑line treatment strategy.

Evidence level: Klinikai vizsgálat. Formális klinikai vizsgálati eredmény.

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