Lenvatinib with or without stereotactic body radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis: a retrospective study

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) involving portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) are presently lacking effective treatment options. We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib with or without SBRT for HCC with PVTT. This retrospective analysis included 37 patients treated with lenvatinib in combination with SBRT and 77 patients treated with lenvatinib alone from August 2018 to August 2021. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), intrahepatic PFS (IHPFS) and objective remission rate (ORR) were compared between the two groups, while adverse events (AEs) was analyzed between the two groups to assess safety profiles. Median OS, PFS and IHPFS were significantly prolonged in the combination treatment group compared with the single treatment group (median OS, 19.3 vs. 11.2 months, p