Can Lenvima (lenvatinib) induce tumor regression or only tumor stabilization?

From the Guidelines

Lenvima can shrink tumors, with a confirmed objective response rate of 71.0% when combined with pembrolizumab, as demonstrated in a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2022 1. This study, which focused on the management of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma, showed that lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab resulted in a higher percentage of patients with a confirmed objective response compared to lenvatinib plus everolimus or sunitinib. Key findings from this study include:

• A confirmed objective response rate of 71.0% with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab
• A complete response rate of 16.1% in the lenvatinib-plus-pembrolizumab group
• Median progression-free survival of 23.9 months with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab, compared to 9.2 months with sunitinib
• Overall survival was also significantly longer with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab than with sunitinib, with a hazard ratio of 0.66 1. While Lenvima can stabilize tumors, the evidence suggests that it can also shrink tumors in a significant proportion of patients, particularly when used in combination with other therapies like pembrolizumab. It is essential to consider individual factors, such as cancer type, stage, and prior treatments, when determining the potential benefits of Lenvima, as well as to monitor for side effects like hypertension, fatigue, and diarrhea, which may require dose reductions or discontinuation of treatment 1.

From the Research

Lenvima's Effect on Tumors

• Lenvima can shrink tumors, as evidenced by studies showing objective response rates and tumor reduction in various cancer types 2, 3, 4.
• In a study on metastatic renal cell carcinoma, 1.8% of patients achieved a complete response and 20.0% achieved a partial response, resulting in an overall response rate of 21.8% 2.
• Another study on advanced hepatocellular carcinoma found that lenvatinib was non-inferior to sorafenib for overall survival, with significantly better progression-free survival and objective response rate 3.
• A study on advanced thyroid carcinoma showed that lenvatinib induces early tumor shrinkage, with 83.3% of patients showing tumor reduction within 8 weeks 4.

Tumor Stabilization

• Lenvima can also stabilize tumors, as shown in a study where 63.6% of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma achieved stable disease 2.
• Tumor stabilization is an important aspect of cancer treatment, as it can slow down disease progression and improve patient outcomes.

Variability in Response

• The response to lenvima can vary depending on the cancer type, patient population, and other factors 5, 6.
• Studies have shown that lenvima can be effective in multiple cancer types, including thyroid carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, and endometrial carcinoma 5, 3, 6.