Modified albumin–bilirubin grade to predict eligibility for second-line therapies at progression on sorafenib therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Background Our aim is to evaluate the utility of liver function measured by modified albumin–bilirubin (mALBI) grade to predict eligibility for second-line therapies, including regorafenib and ramucirumab therapy, at initiation of sorafenib therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Participants in this retrospective, single-center study comprised 197 patients with sorafenib-treated HCC, Child–Pugh scores (CPs) 5–7 and performance status 0–1 treated between October 2009 and June 2019. The factors at initiation of sorafenib therapy, including mALBI grade and CPs, were analyzed with regard to second-line eligibility, regorafenib eligibility and ramucirumab eligibility, respectively. Results Proportions of eligibility for second-line therapies, regorafenib therapy and ramucirumab therapy were 48.7%, 35.5% and 18.3%. Modified ALBI grades 1 and 2a were contributing factors for second-line eligibility (odd ratios [OR] 16.7 and 5.6; 95% CI 6.5–43.3 and 2.6–12.2), regorafenib therapy (OR 13.9 and 6.9; 95% CI 5.6–34.4 and 2.9–16.2), and ramucirumab therapy (OR 9.5 and 4.8; 95% CI 2.9–30.8 and 1.6–14.4), with grade 2b defined as reference. Patients with mALBI grade 1 and CPs 5 exhibited especially high proportion of eligibility for regorafenib therapy (70.5%). In patients with mALBI grade 2b, those with CPs 5 displayed higher proportion of eligibility for second-line therapy and ramucirumab therapy (100% and 50%) than those with CPs 6 (31.8% and 11.4%). Conclusions Modified ALBI grade in combination with CPs at the initiation of sorafenib therapy would be useful to predict eligibility for second-line therapies.