Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of camrelizumab and apatinib combination in the treatment of patients with advanced primary liver cancer (PLC). Methods 62 patients with advanced PLC were enrolled in our hospital between August 2018 and August 2021, and were divided randomly into control group (n=31) and observation group (n=31), receiving apatinib or camrelizumab and apatinib combination therapy for three months. The percentages of peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets were detected by flow cytometry, and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), heat shock protein 90α (HSP90α) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels were detected by electrochemiluminescence. Results At the end of 3 month treatment, the Objective remission rates in the observation and control group were 58.1% and 32.3%, respectively (P<0.05); the percentage of peripheral blood CD4⁺ cells and the ratio of CD4⁺/CD8 ⁺ cells in the observation group were (38.3±2.6)% and (1.3±0.2), both significantly higher than [(34.5±2.9)% and (1.1±0.2), P<0.05] in the control; serum AFP, HSP90α and CEA levels were (143.6±26.5)μg/L, (93.2±22.4)ng/mL and (13.2±4.3)ng/mL, all much lower than [(204.5±29.6)μg/L, (129.1±23.5)ng/mL and (28.6±4.8)ng/mL, respectively, P<0.05] in the control; the mean overall survivals in the two groups were 14 months and 10 months (Log Rank x²=5.033, P=0.025). Conclusion The combination of camrelizumab and apatinib therapy has a certain clinical efficacy in the treatment of patients with advanced PLC, which might slightly safely prolong the survival.

Key words: Hepatoma, Advanced, Camrelizumab, Apatinib, Overall survival, Therapy