Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignancy of the liver accounting for approximately 90% of cases. Patients often present at an advanced stage when treatment options are limited. Sorafenib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been the first-line treatment in this setting for almost a decade. Several subsequent targeted therapies have failed to demonstrate significant improvement in survival. The results of the REFLECT study suggest that lenvatinib, a multikinase inhibitor, may have promised as a first-line treatment in patients with advanced HCC. This article will review the development of lenvatinib and the evidence behind its potential use in patients with advanced HCC.
Keywords:
REFLECT; drug development; hepatocellular carcinoma; lenvatinib; multikinase inhibitor; pharmacokinetics; sorafenib.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
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Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
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Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
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Biomarkers, Tumor
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Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy*
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Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / mortality
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Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology*
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Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / surgery
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Clinical Trials as Topic
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Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
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Humans
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Inhibitory Concentration 50
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Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
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Liver Neoplasms / pathology*
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Liver Neoplasms / surgery
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Neoplasm Staging
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Phenylurea Compounds / pharmacology
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Phenylurea Compounds / therapeutic use*
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
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Quinolines / pharmacology
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Quinolines / therapeutic use*
Substances
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Antineoplastic Agents
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Biomarkers, Tumor
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Phenylurea Compounds
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Protein Kinase Inhibitors
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Quinolines
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lenvatinib