Objective To investigate the efficacy of mFOLFOX7 regimen systemic chemo⁃therapy combined with camrelizumab and apatinib for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with Vp4 portal vain tumor thrombus (PVTT).

Methods The single‑arm, open, exploratory clinical study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 15 HCC patients with Vp4 PVTT who were admitted to the Sun Yat‑sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat‑sen University from April 2021 to October 2023 were collected. There were 14 males and 1 female, aged 48(range, 33-67)years. All patients underwent treatment with mFOLFOX7 regimen combined with camrelizumab and apatinib. Observa-tion indicators: (1) clinical efficacy; (2) survival of patients. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(rang), and count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages.

Results (1) Clinical efficacy. All 15 patients underwent treatment with mFOLFOX7 regimen combined with camrelizumab and apatinib. According to the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors version 1.1, the ratio of objective response, ratio of complete response, ratio of partial response, ratio of disease control, median progression free survival time and median total survival time of the 15 patients were 10/15, 1/15, 9/15, 15/15, not reached and not reached. The median progression free survival time and median total survival time were both >9 months. According to the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors, the ratio of objective response, ratio of complete response, ratio of partial response, ratio of disease control, median progression free survival time and median total survival time of the 15 patients were 12/15, 6/15, 6/15, 15/15, not reached and not reached. The median progression free survival time and median total survival time were both >9 months. Of the 15 patients, 7 cases were successfully treated with conversion therapy with the surgical conversion rate as 7/15, and all of them achieved R₀ resection. The other 6 cases were failed in conversion therapy, and there were 2 cases still undergoing conversion therapy. Of the 7 patients with successful conver-sion therapy, 5 cases achieved complete pathological remission, 1 case achieved major pathological remission with 90% of tumor tissue necrosis, and 1 case achieved complete remission through imaging examination, but new liver lesions appeared in multiple locations during further observation which were surgically removed. Results of histopathology examination on the patient confirmed multiple liver metastases. The proportion of treatment‑associated adverse reactions in 15 patients was 13/15, with 7/15 having ≥grade 3 adverse reactions, including diarrhea (3/15), neutropenia (2/15), thrombo-cytopenia (2/15), and elevated aspartate aminotransferase (2/15). One patient may experience ≥1 adverse reaction. All patients were improved after symptomatic treatment. (2) Survival of patients. All 15 patients were followed up for 13.0(range, 2.0-31.0)months. During the follow‑up period, 3 patients died. One case died of upper gastrointestinal bleeding after achieving partial remission, with a survival time of 7.5 months. One case died of multiple liver metastases of tumor, with tumors accounting for over 70% volume of liver and a survival time of 9.5 months. One case with multiple liver tumors and bilateral lung metastasis died due to disease progression after achieving partial remission, with a survival time of 13.5 months. The postoperative follow‑up time for 7 patients undergoing surgical treatment was 14.0(range, 2.0-25.0)months. Of the 7 patients, 1 case experien-ced tumor recurrence 20.0 months after surgery, and 6 cases had no recurrence at last time of the follow‑up (3 cases completed treatment and entered follow‑up observation). The longest survival time was 31.0 months.

Conclusion The mFOLFOX7 regimen systemic chemotherapy combined with camrelizumab and apatinib for HCC with Vp4 PVTT is safe and feasible.