Skip to content

TACE Using Doxorubicin-eluting Beads for Patients With HCC and Marginal Hepatic Reserve

Prospective Phase II Study of Chemoembolization With Doxorubicin-Eluting Microspheres for Liver Transplantation Candidates With Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Marginal Hepatic Reserve

Status
Terminated
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02147301
Enrollment
17
Registered
2014-05-26
Start date
2014-12-17
Completion date
2017-04-05
Last updated
2019-09-10

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Chemoembolization, Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Brief summary

TACE is frequently offered to patients with baseline hepatic dysfunction with the purpose of diminishing hepatic tumor burden while patients await transplantation. Without this therapeutic measure, disease may progress beyond UNOS T2 criteria required for organ allocation. The purpose of the study is to determine whether transarterial chemoembolization using doxorubicin-eluting beads (DEB-TACE) can be used safely and effectively to treat patients with liver-only hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and baseline hepatic dysfunction.

Interventions

DEVICELC Bead

Doxorubicin Eluting Bead Transarterial Chemoembolization (DEB-TACE): Doxorubicin-loaded LC Beads® are administered via a co-axially placed commercially available hepatic artery catheter into hepatic arteries targeted for treatment. Procedure is performed under direct fluoroscopic visualization until stasis of arterial flow is achieved or until a total of 4 ml of microspheres have been administered, whichever occurs first.

Sponsors

University of California, San Francisco
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Adult male or female patients, age 18 years of age or older 2. Diagnosis of liver-only HCC based on European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) criteria (radiographic lesion appearance on contrast-enhanced CT or MRI, i.e. enhancement on early arterial phase, washout on portal venous phase with or without associated elevation of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level \>200 Units Per Millilitre (U/ml)) or histologic confirmation of HCC diagnosis, whichever is applicable. 3. UNOS stage T1, T2, or T3 disease. 4. Candidates for liver transplantation (listed or screened) according to one of the following criteria: 1. Milan criteria (one lesion \< 5cm or 3 or fewer lesions each \< 3cm), 2. UCSF Downstaging criteria (one lesion less than 8 cm or 2-3 lesions each less than 5 cm with sum of maximum dimensions less than 8 cm, or 4-5 lesions each less than 3 cm with sum of maximum dimensions less than 8 cm) 3. University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) All-Comers criteria (UNOS stage T3 disease beyond UCSF Downstaging Criteria). 5. At least one measurable site of disease in the liver according to RECIST version 1.1 and odified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) criteria. 6. At least one of the following clinical, laboratory, or imaging parameters: 1. Mild or moderate ascites 2. Serum bilirubin ≥ 3 mg/dl but less than 6 mg/dl 3. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) \> 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) but \< 10 times ULN 4. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) \> 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) but \< 10 times ULN 5. International normalized ratio for prothrombin time (INR) \>1.5 but ≤ 2.5 6. Portal vein thrombosis (branch or main) 7. Functioning transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) or surgical portosystemic shunt 7. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0, 1, or 2.

Exclusion criteria

1. Liver-directed therapy (chemoembolization, radioembolization, bland embolization, ablative therapy) within 4 weeks of DEB-TACE. 2. Previous liver transplantation. 3. Serum bilirubin ≥ 6 mg/dl 4. AST \> 10 times upper normal limit 5. ALT \> 10 times upper normal limit 6. INR \> 2.5 7. Serum creatinine \> 1.5 mg/dl 8. Macrovascular tumor invasion of portal and/or hepatic vein(s) 9. Extracapsular tumor extension 10. Extrahepatic disease 11. Hepatic encephalopathy refractory to medical therapy 12. Active uncontrolled infection 13. Imaging evidence of common bile duct obstruction 14. Previous sphincterotomy or bilio-enteric anastomosis 15. Significant hepatic arterial to portal vein shunting in the area to be treated. 16. Symptomatic congestive heart failure (CHF) 17. Allergy to or intolerance of prior doxorubicin-based TACE 18. Allergy to or intolerance to iodinated contrast media despite standard of care pre-medication 19. Any contraindications to treatment with LC Bead™ device (e.g. patients with large diameter arteriovenous shunts or patients with a right-to-left shunt). 20. Systemic therapy with sorafenib or other systemic chemotherapeutic agent(s) less than 1 week prior to first planned DEB-TACE. 21. Active second malignancy other than non-melanoma skin cancer or cervical carcinoma in situ. (Patients with history of malignancy are not considered to have a currently active malignancy if they have completed therapy and are now considered by their physician to be at less than 30% risk for relapse.) 22. Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to: Ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia, uncontrolled peripheral vascular disease, myocardial infarction within preceding 12 months, cerebrovascular accident within preceding 12 months, pulmonary disease impairing functional status or requiring oxygen, impairment in gastrointestinal function that may affect or alter absorption of oral medications (such as malabsorption or history of gastrectomy or bowel resection). 23. Pregnant or lactating women are excluded from this study because of the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects. Because there is an unknown but potential risk for adverse events in nursing infants secondary to treatment of the mother with DEB-TACE, breastfeeding must be discontinued for eligibility. 24. Psychiatric illness, other significant medical illness, or social situation which, in the investigator's opinion, would limit compliance or ability to comply with study requirements.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Best Observed Radiographic Response Rate (Measured by mRECIST)1 yearBest observed radiographic response rate to Doxorubicin Eluting Bead Transarterial Chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) by modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) was defined as number of patients who had CR, PR, or SD as their best observed response divided by total number of patients with at least one available CT or MRI. Definition of mRECIST for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Complete response (CR) = Disappearance of any intratumoral arterial enhancement in all target lesions. Partial response (PR)=At least a 30% decrease in sum of diameters of viable (enhancement in arterial phase) target lesions, taking as reference baseline sum of diameters of target lesions. Stable disease (SD)=Any cases that do not qualify for either partial response or progressive disease. Progressive disease (PD)=An increase of at least 20% in the sum of the diameters of viable (enhancing) target lesions, taking as reference the smallest sum of the diameters of viable (enh
Number of Patients Who Developed New Severe Adverse Events1 yearNumber of patients who developed new severe adverse events according to NCI CTCAE version 4.0

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Time to Progression (TTP)1 yearTime to progression was defined as the period of time from the first on-study DEB-TACE to radiographic disease progression at any site by mRECIST.
Time to Hepatic Progression (TTHP)1 yearTime to hepatic progression (TTHP) was defined as a period of time from the first on-study DEB-TACE till development of radiographic evidence of disease progression in the liver by mRECIST.
Progression Free Survival (PFS) Rate3 months, 6 months, 12 Months, and 24 monthsProgression free survival rate was defined as the number of patients who were alive and free from radiographic progression by mRECIST at pre-defined time periods. PFS rate was calculated at 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months
Best Observed Objective Radiographic Response by mRECIST6 monthsBest observed objective radiographic response was defined as the number of patients who had a complete response or partial response divided by total number of evaluable patients. Measured by mRECIST (see mRECIST definition in the description of the primary objective).
Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF)Baseline, 1 month following last planned DEB-TACELeft ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured as percent contraction prior to the first DEB-TACE and 1 month following last planned DEB-TACE. Median LVEF and full range were reported.
Median Area Under Curve (AUC)7 daysArea under curve for doxorubicin concentration in the serum over 7 days was measured by obtaining serum doxorubicin concentration samples at predose, 5 min, 20 min, 40 min, 60 min, 120 min, 6 hours, 24 hours, 7 days time points. A graph of serum doxorubicin concentration over time was then plotted for each of the 17 patients, and the area under the curve for each of the 17 patients was calculated. Pharmacokinetic sampling was performed only during each of the first planned DEB-TACE procedures.
Proportion of Patients With Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) Response With ≥ 50% Decline From Baseline1 yearThis measure was defined as the number of patients with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) response with ≥ 50% decline from baseline (in patients with baseline level ≥ 20) after DEB-TACE.
Time to Untreatable Progression (TTUP)1 yearTTUP is defined as time (months) from the first on-study DEB-TACE to development of radiographic disease progression untreatable by liver-directed percutaneous or surgical methods (by mRECIST).

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Recruitment details

17 patients were enrolled and completed study.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
DEB-TACE #1
Doxorubicin Eluting Bead Transarterial Chemoembolization (DEB-TACE): Doxorubicin-loaded LC Beads® are administered via a co-axially placed commercially available hepatic artery catheter into hepatic arteries targeted for treatment. Procedure is performed under direct fluoroscopic visualization until stasis of arterial flow is achieved or until a total of 4 ml of microspheres have been administered, whichever occurs first 1st debtace treatment
17
Total17

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicDEB-TACE #1
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
8 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
9 Participants
Age, Continuous65 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 5
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
3 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
13 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
2 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
14 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
3 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
14 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
12 / 17
other
Total, other adverse events
17 / 17
serious
Total, serious adverse events
13 / 17

Outcome results

Primary

Best Observed Radiographic Response Rate (Measured by mRECIST)

Best observed radiographic response rate to Doxorubicin Eluting Bead Transarterial Chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) by modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) was defined as number of patients who had CR, PR, or SD as their best observed response divided by total number of patients with at least one available CT or MRI. Definition of mRECIST for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Complete response (CR) = Disappearance of any intratumoral arterial enhancement in all target lesions. Partial response (PR)=At least a 30% decrease in sum of diameters of viable (enhancement in arterial phase) target lesions, taking as reference baseline sum of diameters of target lesions. Stable disease (SD)=Any cases that do not qualify for either partial response or progressive disease. Progressive disease (PD)=An increase of at least 20% in the sum of the diameters of viable (enhancing) target lesions, taking as reference the smallest sum of the diameters of viable (enh

Time frame: 1 year

Population: Best observed radiographic response for all patients who had at least one follow-up cross-sectional imaging study

ArmMeasureCategoryValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
DEB-TACEBest Observed Radiographic Response Rate (Measured by mRECIST)Complete response4 Participants
DEB-TACEBest Observed Radiographic Response Rate (Measured by mRECIST)Partial response6 Participants
DEB-TACEBest Observed Radiographic Response Rate (Measured by mRECIST)Stable disease4 Participants
DEB-TACEBest Observed Radiographic Response Rate (Measured by mRECIST)Progressive disease2 Participants
Primary

Number of Patients Who Developed New Severe Adverse Events

Number of patients who developed new severe adverse events according to NCI CTCAE version 4.0

Time frame: 1 year

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
DEB-TACENumber of Patients Who Developed New Severe Adverse EventsHepatic failure4 participants
DEB-TACENumber of Patients Who Developed New Severe Adverse EventsPain2 participants
DEB-TACENumber of Patients Who Developed New Severe Adverse EventsHyperbilirubinemia3 participants
DEB-TACENumber of Patients Who Developed New Severe Adverse EventsAST elevation3 participants
DEB-TACENumber of Patients Who Developed New Severe Adverse EventsAscites1 participants
DEB-TACENumber of Patients Who Developed New Severe Adverse EventsEdema of limbs2 participants
DEB-TACENumber of Patients Who Developed New Severe Adverse EventsHyponatremia4 participants
DEB-TACENumber of Patients Who Developed New Severe Adverse EventsAnemia2 participants
DEB-TACENumber of Patients Who Developed New Severe Adverse EventsThrombocytopenia3 participants
DEB-TACENumber of Patients Who Developed New Severe Adverse EventsCreatinine elevation1 participants
Secondary

Best Observed Objective Radiographic Response by mRECIST

Best observed objective radiographic response was defined as the number of patients who had a complete response or partial response divided by total number of evaluable patients. Measured by mRECIST (see mRECIST definition in the description of the primary objective).

Time frame: 6 months

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
DEB-TACEBest Observed Objective Radiographic Response by mRECIST10 participants
Secondary

Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF)

Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured as percent contraction prior to the first DEB-TACE and 1 month following last planned DEB-TACE. Median LVEF and full range were reported.

Time frame: Baseline, 1 month following last planned DEB-TACE

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEDIAN)
DEB-TACELeft Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF)Baseline70 percent contraction
DEB-TACELeft Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF)1 month following last planned DEB-TACE68 percent contraction
Secondary

Median Area Under Curve (AUC)

Area under curve for doxorubicin concentration in the serum over 7 days was measured by obtaining serum doxorubicin concentration samples at predose, 5 min, 20 min, 40 min, 60 min, 120 min, 6 hours, 24 hours, 7 days time points. A graph of serum doxorubicin concentration over time was then plotted for each of the 17 patients, and the area under the curve for each of the 17 patients was calculated. Pharmacokinetic sampling was performed only during each of the first planned DEB-TACE procedures.

Time frame: 7 days

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
DEB-TACEMedian Area Under Curve (AUC)593 ng/ml-hr
Secondary

Progression Free Survival (PFS) Rate

Progression free survival rate was defined as the number of patients who were alive and free from radiographic progression by mRECIST at pre-defined time periods. PFS rate was calculated at 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months

Time frame: 3 months, 6 months, 12 Months, and 24 months

ArmMeasureGroupValue (NUMBER)
DEB-TACEProgression Free Survival (PFS) Rate3 months14 participants
DEB-TACEProgression Free Survival (PFS) Rate6 months10 participants
DEB-TACEProgression Free Survival (PFS) Rate12 months6 participants
DEB-TACEProgression Free Survival (PFS) Rate24 months4 participants
Secondary

Proportion of Patients With Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) Response With ≥ 50% Decline From Baseline

This measure was defined as the number of patients with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) response with ≥ 50% decline from baseline (in patients with baseline level ≥ 20) after DEB-TACE.

Time frame: 1 year

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
DEB-TACEProportion of Patients With Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) Response With ≥ 50% Decline From Baseline5 participants
Secondary

Time to Hepatic Progression (TTHP)

Time to hepatic progression (TTHP) was defined as a period of time from the first on-study DEB-TACE till development of radiographic evidence of disease progression in the liver by mRECIST.

Time frame: 1 year

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
DEB-TACETime to Hepatic Progression (TTHP)5.9 Months
Secondary

Time to Progression (TTP)

Time to progression was defined as the period of time from the first on-study DEB-TACE to radiographic disease progression at any site by mRECIST.

Time frame: 1 year

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
DEB-TACETime to Progression (TTP)5.6 Months
Secondary

Time to Untreatable Progression (TTUP)

TTUP is defined as time (months) from the first on-study DEB-TACE to development of radiographic disease progression untreatable by liver-directed percutaneous or surgical methods (by mRECIST).

Time frame: 1 year

Population: months

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
DEB-TACETime to Untreatable Progression (TTUP)9.7 Months

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026