# Case Report: Efficacy of preoperative conversion therapy with lenvatinib, toripalimab, and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy in an advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

**Authors:** Jing Mao, Hengzhi Zhang, Xingxia Yang, Yanjun Yao, Xu Sun, Qiang Yan

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1627281 · Frontiers in Oncology · 2025-10-08

## TL;DR

A patient with advanced liver cancer showed significant improvement after a combination therapy involving lenvatinib, toripalimab, and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, leading to successful surgery.

## Contribution

This case report demonstrates the potential of a novel combination therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with metastasis and tumor thrombi.

## Key findings

- The combination therapy significantly reduced lesions and resolved portal vein tumor thrombus.
- Alpha-fetoprotein levels normalized without serious adverse events.
- The patient underwent successful curative surgery following the treatment.

## Abstract

Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis. Conversion therapy based on non-surgical local therapy and drug therapy is an effective treatment for unresectable HCC. We report a case of HCC with intrahepatic metastasis and multiple venous tumor thrombi. After nearly 4 months of conversion therapy with lenvatinib, toripalimab combined with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC), the lesions were significantly reduced, the portal vein tumor thrombus resolved, and the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) decreased to the normal range. This patient had no serious adverse events during treatment. After a comprehensive assessment of the patient’s status, the patient eventually underwent curative surgical resection of the tumor and had a complete response. The successful experience of this case indicates that lenvatinib, toripalimab combined with HAIC has a good prospect as a conversion therapy for HCC with intrahepatic metastasis and multiple venous tumor thrombi.

## Linked entities

- **Chemicals:** lenvatinib (PubChem CID 9823820)
- **Diseases:** hepatocellular carcinoma (MONDO:0007256)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** AFP (alpha fetoprotein) [NCBI Gene 174] {aka AFPD, FETA, HPAFP}
- **Diseases:** tumor thrombus (MESH:D013927), HCC (MESH:D006528), tumor (MESH:D009369), metastasis (MESH:D009362)
- **Chemicals:** lenvatinib (MESH:C531958), toripalimab (MESH:C000656314)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

4 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12540137/full.md

## References

30 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12540137/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12540137