Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 21, 2024; 30(43): 4620-4635
Published online Nov 21, 2024. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v30.i43.4620
Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the bevacizumab plus sintilimab plus interventional treatment and lenvatinib plus sintilimab plus interventional treatment groups before and after propensity score matching, n (%)
VariableBefore PSM
After PSM
BeSiIT (n = 32)
LeSiIT (n = 95)
P value
BeSiIT (n = 28)
LeSiIT (n = 50)
P value
Age1.0000.835
        < 65 years24 (75.0)70 (73.7)21 (75.0)35 (70.0)
        ≥ 65 years8 (25.0)25 (26.3)7 (25.0)15 (30.0)
Sex0.6630.916
        Female4 (12.5)17 (17.9)4 (14.3)9 (18.0)
        Male28 (87.5)78 (82.1)24 (85.7)41 (82.0)
Hepatitis0.2121.000
        No4 (12.5)4 (4.2)3 (10.7)4 (8.0)
        Yes28 (87.5)91 (95.8)25 (89.3)46 (92.0)
Liver cirrhosis1.0001.000
        No9 (28.1)27 (28.4)8 (28.6)14 (28.0)
        Yes23 (71.9)68 (71.6)20 (71.4)36 (72.0)
AFP, ng/mL1.0001.000
        ≤ 40018 (56.2)52 (54.7)15 (53.6)28 (56.0)
        > 40014 (43.8)43 (45.3)13 (46.4)22 (44.0)
Tumor size, cm0.5320.689
        ≤ 1020 (62.5)67 (70.5)17 (60.7)34 (68.0)
        > 1012 (37.5)28 (29.5)11 (39.3)16 (32.0)
Tumor number0.021a0.953
        ≤ 324 (75.0)47 (49.5)20 (71.4)34 (68.0)
        > 38 (25.0)48 (50.5)8 (28.6)16 (32.0)
Child-Pugh0.8801.000
        A26 (81.2)74 (77.9)23 (82.1)40 (80.0)
        B6 (18.8)21 (22.1)5 (17.9)10 (20.0)
BCLC stage0.1300.984
        B8 (25.0)40 (42.1)7 (25.0)14 (28.0)
        C24 (75.0)55 (57.9)21 (75.0)36 (72.0)
ECOG PS0.1360.673
        026 (81.2)59 (62.1)22 (78.6)36 (72.0)
        15 (15.6)31 (32.6)5 (17.9)13 (26.0)
        21 (3.1)5 (5.3)1 (3.6)1 (2.0)
Metastasis0.3271.000
        No20 (62.5)70 (73.7)19 (67.9)34 (68.0)
        Yes12 (37.5)25 (26.3)9 (32.1)16 (32.0)
Vascular invasion0.027a0.417
        No12 (37.5)59 (62.1)10 (35.7)24 (48.0)
        Yes20 (62.5)36 (37.9)18 (64.3)26 (52.0)
Table 2 Summary of the best responses, n (%)
VariableRECIST 11
mRECIST
BeSiIT (n = 28)
LeSiIT (n = 50)
P value
BeSiIT (n = 28)
LeSiIT (n = 50)
P value
CR0 (0.0)0 (0.0)-8 (28.6)4 (8.0)0.016a
PR17 (60.7)23 (46.0)0.2129 (32.1)25 (50.0)0.127
SD5 (17.9)7 (14.0)0.6515 (17.9)5 (1.0)0.319
PD6 (21.4)20 (40.0)0.0956 (21.4)16 (32.0)0.320
ORR17 (60.7)23 (46.0)0.79117 (60.7)29 (58.0)0.815
DCR22 (78.6)30 (60.0)0.09522 (78.6)34 (68.0)0.320
Table 3 A summary of adverse reactions in the bevacizumab plus sintilimab plus interventional treatment and lenvatinib plus sintilimab plus interventional treatment groups, n (%)
VariableBeSiIT (n = 28)
LeSiIT (n = 50)
P value
Any grade
Grade 3 or 4
Any grade
Grade 3 or 4
Any grade
Grade 3 or 4
Thrombocytopenia8 (28.5)2 (7.1)9 (18.0)0 (0.0)0.3350.059
Neutropenia4 (14.3)0 (0.0)9 (18.0)1 (2.0)0.6990.454
Hypertension5 (17.9)0 (0.0)15 (30.0)7 (14.0)0.3060.047a
Rash4 (14.3)0 (0.0)8 (16.0)1 (2.0)0.8530.454
Hand-foot skin reaction4 (14.3)0 (0.0)8 (16.0)1 (2.0)0.8530.454
Abdominal pain1 (3.6)0 (0.0)3 (6.0)1 (2.0)0.6490.454
Bleeding1 (3.6)0 (0.0)7 (14.0)0 (0.0)0.167-
Fever2 (7.1)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0 (0.0)0.059-
Nausea0 (0.0)0 (0.0)10 (20.0)0 (0.0)0.018a-
Decreased appetite1 (3.6)0 (0.0)12 (24.0)0 (0.0)0.033a-
Diarrhea0 (0.0)0 (0.0)10 (20.0)0 (0.0)0.018a-
Fatigue2 (7.1)0 (0.0)16 (32.0)2 (4.0)0.027a0.290
Vomiting0 (0.0)0 (0.0)8 (16.0)0 (0.0)0.034a-
Proteinuria8 (28.5)0 (0.0)5 (10.0)0 (0.0)0.053-
Hyperbilirubinemia6 (21.4)0 (0.0)11 (22.0)0 (0.0)0.958-
Elevated ALT2 (7.1)0 (0.0)8 (16.0)0 (0.0)0.293-
Elevated AST6 (21.4)0 (0.0)13 (26.0)1 (2.0)0.6930.677
Hypoalbuminemia2 (7.1)0 (0.0)7 (14.0)0 (0.0)0.391-
Table 4 Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis of clinical characteristics with progression-free survival as the dependent variable
Independent variablesUnivariate
Multivariate
HR (95%CI)
P value
HR (95%CI)
P value
Group (LeSiIT/BeSiIT)0.876 (0.460-1.670)0.688
Tumor size (> 10/≤ 10 cm)1.143 (0.597-2.187)0.687
Tumor number (> 3/≤ 3)0.759 (0.369-1.561)0.453
Gender (male/female)0.969 (0.404-2.321)0.943
Age (years)0.989 (0.961-1.017)0.432
Age (≥ 65/< 65 years)0.878 (0.425-1.813)0.725
Etiology (yes/no)0.559 (0.196-1.598)0.278
Liver cirrhosis (yes/no)0.735 (0.375-1.440)0.369
Metastasis (yes/no)0.767 (0.391-1.504)0.440
Vascular invasion (yes/no)1.041 (0.554-1.957)0.900
Child-Pugh (B/A)1.390 (0.655-2.951)0.391
BCLC stage (C/B)0.869 (0.432-1.750)0.694
ECOG PS
        0Reference-
        11.562 (0.772-3.163)0.215
        2NA0.972
ALBI grade
        1Reference-
        20.668 (0.343-1.301)0.235
        31.643 (0.382-7.069)0.505
AFP concentration (ng/mL)1.000 (1.000-1.000)0.042a1.000 (1.000-1.000)0.191
        AFP (> 28.0/≤ 28.0 ng/mL)1.754 (0.830-3.708)0.141
        CEA (> 3.6/≤ 3.6 ng/mL)1.645 (0.811-3.338)0.168
AFCE
        0Reference-Reference-
        13.255 (1.244-8.516)0.016a2.973 (1.120-7.888)0.029a
        26.153 (2.011-18.821)0.001a5.746 (1.865-17.708)0.002a