Key clinical point : Raltitrexed-based transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) extended the overall survival of intermediate and advanced HCC patients in a real-world clinical setting.
Major finding : After propensity score matching, the overall survival rates at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years were significantly higher in patients given raltitrexed compared to controls (78.2% vs 60.9%; 43.5% vs 22.8%; and 17.4% vs 2.2%, respectively).
Study details : The data come from HCC patients seen at multiple centers in Chongqing, China, between January 2013 and December 2019. Cases were divided into two groups based on treatment: the raltitrexed group (raltitrexed plus lobaplatin + pirarubicin) and the control group (lobaplatin + pirarubicin).
Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
Source: He J et al. Hepatol Res. 2021 Sep 7. doi: 10.1111/hepr.13708.