Comparative outcomes of HBV-related vs. HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma under targeted therapy: A retrospective study.

Abstract

e16319 Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) as primary etiological factors. This study compares the clinical outcomes of HBV-related and HCV-related HCC patients undergoing targeted therapy. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with early stage HBV-related or HCV-related HCC between 2010 and 2020, who underwent targeted therapy with Cabozantinib, Lenvatinib, Sorafenib, and Regorafenib. Data was obtained from the TriNetX database. A total of 726 patients with HBV and 726 with HCV were matched for demographic and clinical characteristics. Baseline characteristics, follow-up durations, all-cause mortality, and overall survival rates were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kaplan-Meier curves, and measures of association. Results: Before matching, HCV patients had a mean age of 62.8 ± 8.11 years, while HBV patients had a mean age of 64.7 ± 9.34 years . Post-matching, age and gender distributions were balanced, with no significant differences. Median follow-up was longer in HCV patients (333 days, IQR: 786) than HBV patients (215 days, IQR: 524). All-cause mortality risks were comparable, with a risk ratio (RR) of 0.946 (95% CI: 0.88–1.017, p = 0.1318). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significantly better overall survival for HCV patients, with a median survival of 416 days versus 282 days in HBV patients (HR: 0.793, 95% CI: 0.699–0.9, p = 0.0003). Survival probabilities at the end of the study period were 11.11% for HCV and 9.56% for HBV patients. Conclusions: HCV-related HCC patients demonstrated longer follow-up durations and better overall survival compared to HBV-related HCC patients under targeted therapy. These findings underscore the need for tailored treatment approaches to optimize outcomes for HBV and HCV patients with HCC.