Impact of Emotional Stress on Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment Outcomes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multicohort Clinical Study

Status: Recruiting
Location: See all (5) locations...
Intervention Type: Other
Study Type: Observational
SUMMARY

The goal of this observational study is to learn if emotional distress affects how well liver cancer treatment works in people receiving immunotherapy. Emotional distress means feeling anxious or depressed. The study aims to answer whether having emotional distress before treatment or changes in emotional distress during treatment affect how well immunotherapy works to treat liver cancer. Researchers will compare participants with and without emotional distress to examine differences in how long the cancer stays under control, treatment response, and overall survival time. Study participants will complete mood and quality of life questionnaires, meet with mental health specialists for emotional assessments, undergo regular blood tests to measure stress hormones, have routine medical check-ups and scans to monitor their cancer status, and be followed for up to 3 years. The study includes three groups of people with liver cancer: those starting immunotherapy for cancer that cannot be removed by surgery, those receiving immunotherapy after surgery, and those receiving immunotherapy before surgery. To be eligible for participation, individuals must be 18 years or older, diagnosed with liver cancer, about to start immunotherapy treatment, and able to complete mood questionnaires.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 18
Healthy Volunteers: f
View:

• Age ≥ 18 years

• Able to complete psychological questionnaires

• Child-Pugh liver function class A

• ECOG performance status ≤ 1

• Signed informed consent

• Expected survival \> 3 months

• Diagnosed with unresectable HCC by pathology or imaging

• BCLC stage B or C

• Has at least one measurable lesion (mRECIST)

• About to receive first-line ICI treatment

• Age ≥ 18 years

• Able to complete psychological questionnaires

• Child-Pugh liver function class A

• ECOG performance status ≤ 1

• Signed informed consent

• Expected survival \> 3 months

• Pathologically confirmed HCC after curative surgery

• Pathological stage II or III (AJCC 8th edition)

• Will start adjuvant ICI therapy within 4-6 weeks after surgery

• Expected survival \> 12 months

• Age ≥ 18 years

• Able to complete psychological questionnaires

• Child-Pugh liver function class A

• ECOG performance status ≤ 1

• Signed informed consent

• Expected survival \> 3 months

• Diagnosed with resectable HCC by pathology or imaging

• Has at least one measurable lesion (RECIST 1.1)

• About to receive neoadjuvant ICI treatment

• Expected survival \> 12 months

Locations
Other Locations
China
The Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University
RECRUITING
Guilin
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University
RECRUITING
Guilin
Shaoyang Central Hospital
RECRUITING
Shaoyang
The First Affiliated Hospital of Shaoyang College
RECRUITING
Shaoyang
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
RECRUITING
Zhanjiang
Contact Information
Primary
Yu Yaqun, MD. PhD
yyq0129@glmc.edu.cn
+ 86 18172681387
Time Frame
Start Date: 2025-01-01
Estimated Completion Date: 2027-12-31
Participants
Target number of participants: 700
Treatments
Cohort 1: Unresectable HCC First-line ICI
This group includes participants with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma who will receive first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Participants must have BCLC stage B or C disease and Child-Pugh score A or B (≤7). They will receive standard-of-care immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy according to their physician's choice, either as monotherapy or in combination with other treatments. Emotional distress will be assessed before treatment initiation and during therapy using standardized questionnaires and clinical evaluations. Treatment response will be evaluated every 6-8 weeks using mRECIST criteria.
Cohort 2: Resectable HCC Adjuvant ICI
This group includes participants with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma who have undergone curative surgery and will receive adjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. They will begin immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy within 4-6 weeks after surgery. Emotional distress will be assessed before starting adjuvant therapy and during treatment. Disease-free survival will be monitored through regular follow-up visits and imaging.
Cohort 3: Resectable HCC Neoadjuvant ICI
This group includes participants with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma who will receive immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy before planned surgery. They will receive immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy before surgery, with response assessed using mRECIST criteria. Emotional distress will be evaluated before and during treatment. Pathological complete response will be assessed in surgical specimens.
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Collaborators: the Affiliated hospital of Guilin medical university, China
Leads: Guilin Medical University, China

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov