Prognostic value of radiological and pathological complete response following immune-based conversion therapy in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (GUIDANCE004).

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

It is unclear whether radiological complete response (rCR) and pathological complete response (pCR) after immune-based conversion therapy are associated with each other and with the prognosis of patients with initially unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC).

Methods

Data were retrospectively analyzed from 1,262 patients with uHCC who received immune-based conversion therapy at 22 medical centers across China between 2019 and 2023. Survival was compared among patients showing different responses through conventional analysis of all patients, conventional analysis of propensity score-matched subgroups, and landmark analyses at 5 and 7 months after treatment.

Results

Conversion therapy led to tumor downstaging in 343 patients (27.2%) and upstaging

SUBMITTER: Yang DL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12550780 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature