Jun Gong, MD, presents the EMERALD-1 trial for Team Chicago Hot Dog, reviewing the phase 3, randomized, double-blind study of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with durvalumab, with or without bevacizumab, in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) amenable to embolization. Gong describes the intermediate-stage population, the three treatment arms, and the protocol design in which bevacizumab was started only after TACE completion to limit overlapping toxicity. He reviews the primary endpoint of progression-free survival, noting that the triplet of durvalumab plus bevacizumab plus TACE significantly prolonged progression-free survival versus TACE alone, while durvalumab plus TACE without bevacizumab did not. Gong highlights the improved time to progression and numerically higher response rates with active treatment, along with increased toxicity in the triplet arm, including hypertension and bleeding. He emphasizes that overall survival and patient-reported outcome data remain pending, leaving the current EMERALD-1 evidence base progression-free survival–driven for intermediate-stage advanced HCC.
