Lusutrombopag for Severe Thrombocytopenia in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Thrombopoietin receptor agonists, such as lusutrombopag, have been shown to be effective in improving platelet counts in cirrhotic patients with severe thrombocytopenia undergoing invasive procedures (Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019; 17:1192; Hepatology 2019; 70:1336). However, one concern with these agonists is that some of them can promote thrombosis, particularly in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients at risk for spontaneous thrombosis.

Now, investigators have performed an integrated analysis of two manufacturer-supported, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III trials that evaluated the safety and efficacy of lusutrombopag in 270 cirrhotic patients (95 with HCC) with platelet counts <50×10⁹/L who were und…