Biomarker analyses of clinical outcomes in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with Sorafenib with or without Erlotinib in the SEARCH Trial

Zhu, A. X. et al. (2016) Biomarker analyses of clinical outcomes in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with Sorafenib with or without Erlotinib in the SEARCH Trial. Clinical Cancer Research, 22(19), pp. 4870-4879. (doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-15-2883) (PMID:27220960)

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Abstract

Purpose: Sorafenib is the current standard therapy for advanced HCC, but validated biomarkers predicting clinical outcomes are lacking. This study aimed to identify biomarkers predicting prognosis and/or response to sorafenib, with or without erlotinib, in HCC patients from the phase 3 SEARCH trial. Experimental Design: 720 patients were randomized to receive oral sorafenib 400 mg BID plus erlotinib 150 mg QD or placebo. Fifteen growth factors relevant to the treatment regimen and/or to HCC were measured in baseline plasma samples. Results: Baseline plasma biomarkers were measured in 494 (69%) patients (sorafenib plus erlotinib, n=243; sorafenib plus placebo, n=251). Treatment arm–independent analyses showed that elevated HGF (HR, 1.687 [high vs low expression]; endpoint multiplicity adjusted [e-adj] P=0.0001) and elevated plasma VEGF-A (HR, 1.386; e-adj P=0..0377) were significantly associated with poor OS in multivariate analyses, and low plasma KIT (HR, 0.75 [high vs low]; P=0.0233; e-adj P=0.2793) tended to correlate with poorer OS. High plasma VEGF-C independently correlated with longer TTP (HR, 0.633; e-adj P=0.0010) and trended toward associating with improved disease control rate (univariate:OR, 2.047; P=0.030; e-adj P=0.420). In 67% of evaluable patients (339/494), a multimarker signature of HGF, VEGF-A, KIT, epigen, and VEGF-C correlated with improved median OS in multivariate analysis (HR, 0.150; P<0.00001). No biomarker predicted efficacy from erlotinib. Conclusions: Baseline plasma HGF, VEGF-A, KIT, and VEGF-C correlated with clinical outcomes in HCC patients treated with sorafenib with or without erlotinib. These biomarkers plus epigen constituted a multimarker signature for improved OS.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Evans, Professor Jeff
Authors: Zhu, A. X., Kang, Y.-K., Rosmorduc, O., Evans, T.R. J., Santoro, A., Ross, P., Gane, E., Vogel, A., Jeffers, M., Meinhardt, G., and Peña, C. E.A.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Cancer Sciences
Journal Name:Clinical Cancer Research
Publisher:American Association for Cancer Research
ISSN:1078-0432
ISSN (Online):1557-3265
Published Online:24 May 2016
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2016 American Association for Cancer Research
First Published:First published in Clinical Cancer Research 2016
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher

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Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
690421Glasgow Molecular Pathology (GMP) NodeKarin OienMedical Research Council (MRC)MR/N005813/1ICS - EXPERIMENTAL THERAPEUTICS