Home » Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma)

Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma)

Tecentriq® (atezolizumab) in combination with bevacizumab

What is hepatocellular carcinoma?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer that starts in the main type of liver cell, called a hepatocyte. 

HCC usually arises in people who have had underlying liver disease for many years resulting in liver scarring (cirrhosis). In New Zealand, the most common causes of the underlying liver disease are hepatitis B, hepatitis C, alcohol, obesity and diabetes. 

HCC treatment options

Some cases of HCC can be removed with surgery. If the HCC cannot be removed with surgery (unresectable), it may be treated with medicines including Tecentriq and bevacizumab.

Tecentriq

Pronounced Tee-sen-trick

How Tecentriq works

Tecentriq belongs to a group of medicines called immunotherapies, which work with your body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells. Tecentriq is not the same as chemotherapy.

Tecentriq works by attaching to a protein in your body, called PD-L1, which is found on some tumour cells. When this happens Tecentriq helps the immune system to better identify the cancer cells and kill them.

How bevacizumab works

Bevacizumab works by blocking an important growth factor called vascular endothelial growth factor or VEGF. This disrupts blood flow to the cancer, restricting the supply of nutrients that it needs to grow and spread.

Because Tecentriq and bevacizumab work in different ways, the two medicines complement each other when they are used together to treat HCC.

How Tecentriq and bevacizumab are administered

Tecentriq, together with bevacizumab, is given by a drip or intravenous infusion that your doctor or nurse inserts into a vein. The number of infusions you will be given depends on how you respond to treatment. Your doctor will keep giving you Tecentriq and bevacizumab until you no longer benefit from it. However, they may be stopped if the side effects become too much of a problem.

Clinical Trial Data

A clinical study comparing the safety and effectiveness of Tecentriq + bevacizumab with that of another medicine called sorafenib included 501 patients with advanced HCC or tumors that could not be removed by surgery. Tecentriq + bevacizumab was found to be more effective in treating HCC than sorafenib.

Keep in mind that everyone is different, and the response and benefit you may experience cannot be predicted. Ask your doctor about the clinical evidence for Tecentriq and bevacizumab and if the combination is right for you.

Possible side effects of Tecentriq + bevacizumab

All medicines can have side effects. You will find a list of known side effects in the Tecentriq Consumer Medicine Information available via links below.

Talk to your doctor to see if Tecentriq and bevacizumab are right for you.

How to access Tecentriq and bevacizumab

Tecentriq and bevacizumab are funded by PHARMAC for patients with unresectable HCC who meet pre-defined criteria. Ask your doctor for more information.

Ready to take the next step?

Because every situation is different, it’s important to speak to your medical team to find out if Tecentriq and bevacizumab are right for you.

We’ve put together a discussion guide to help you begin a conversation with your doctor. Print it off, take it along to your next appointment, and take notes in the spaces provided.

Talking to your doctor about Tecentriq and bevacizumab

To help you in this process, we’ve put together a discussion guide to help you begin a conversation with your doctor. Print it off, take it along to your next appointment, and take notes in the spaces provided.

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Handy resources

These resources contain important safety and side effect information. Please keep in mind that these are not intended to replace medical advice from a doctor or other healthcare professionals.

Tecentriq for HCC patient resource

This resource is intended as an educational support item for patients prescribed TECENTRIQ in combination with bevacizumab for the treatment of HCC.

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Tecentriq patient alert card

This card contains important safety information that you need to be aware of during treatment with TECENTRIQ. Show this card to all the healthcare professionals you visit.

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Tecentriq SC patient insert

This leaflet is for patients being administered Tecentriq by subcutaneous injection and should be used in conjunction with the Tecentriq for HCC patient resource.

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Tecentriq Consumer Medicine Information
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Further information

For more information about liver cancer you can visit the Gut Cancer Foundation 

You can also find information at the Hepatitis Foundation of New Zealand

Tecentriq® (atezolizumab) 1200mg/20mL and 840mg/14ml and Tecentriq SC (atezolizumab 1875 mg/15 mL solution for subcutaneous injection) are  Prescription Medicines used for early (has not spread to other parts of the body) and advanced or metastatic (has spread to other parts of the body) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), extensive stage small-cell lung cancer, advanced or metastatic urothelial (bladder and urinary system) cancer, advanced or metastatic triple negative breast cancer and unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Ask your doctor if Tecentriq is right for you.

Tecentriq is funded for patients with unresectable HCC and locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC that have previously received chemotherapy who meet defined criteria. A prescription charge and other medical fees may apply.

Tecentriq is not funded for urothelial cancer, breast cancer and other lung cancer indications. Tecentriq SC is not funded for any indication. Ask your health professional about the cost of the medicine and other fees that may apply.

Use only as directed. If symptoms continue or you have side effects, see your healthcare professional. For more information about Tecentriq:

• talk to your health professional; or

• visit medsafe.govt.nz for Tecentriq Consumer Medicine Information; or

• visit cancertreatments.co.nz or call Roche on 0800 276 243.

Tecentriq has risks and benefits.

Possible common side effects include: loss of appetite; diarrhoea; shortness of breath; itching of the skin; dry skin; rash; nausea; fever; chills; vomiting; difficulty swallowing; flu-like symptoms; nasal congestion; stomach, back, muscle, bone, joint or throat pain; cough; sore throat; tiredness; common cold; headaches; being short of breath when exercising; urinary tract infection; lung infection; dizziness, light-headedness, looking pale, fainting; bleeding or bruising; mouth ulcers and/or cold sores; constipation; numbness or weakness of the arms and legs; high blood pressure; hair loss; a change in the way things taste.

Tell your doctor if: you have immune system problems such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or lupus; you have inflammation of the lungs (pneumonitis); you have liver problems, such as hepatitis; you have thyroid problems; you are taking other medicines; you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes; you are pregnant or breastfeeding or plan to become pregnant or breastfeed. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment with Tecentriq.

Tell your doctor immediately or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Centre if you notice any of the following: inflammation of the lungs (new or worsening cough, shortness of breath and chest pain); inflammation of the liver (yellowing of skin or eyes, nausea, vomiting, bleeding or bruising, dark urine, and stomach pain); inflammation of the intestines (diarrhoea, blood in stools, and stomach pain); inflammation of the thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands (tiredness, weight loss, weight gain, changes in mood or behaviour, visual disturbances, increased sensitivity to cold or heat, slow or rapid heart rate, hair loss, constipation, headache, and dizziness); type 1 diabetes mellitus (feeling more hungry or thirsty than usual, need to urinate more often, weight loss, and feeling tired); inflammation of the brain or spinal cord (neck stiffness, headache, fever, chills, vomiting, eye sensitivity to light, confusion and sleepiness); inflammation of the nerves (muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in hands and feet); inflammation of the pancreas (abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting); inflammation of the heart muscle (shortness of breath, feeling tired, irregular heart beat or chest pain); inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart (chest pain, difficulty and/or painful breathing, pounding/racing heart beat, fainting and/or light-headedness, swelling of legs or abdomen, pale and/or clammy skin); inflammation of the kidneys (dark and/or frothy urine, high blood pressure, swelling to face, feet, legs and hands; inflammation of muscles (muscle pain or stiffness or skin rash); infusion reactions (fever, chills, shortness of breath and flushing – intravenous formulation only), local reaction at the  injection site (subcutaneous formulation only), excessive activation of the immune system (fever, swollen lymph nodes, skin rash, yellowing of skin and eyes, coughing, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea headache, changes in vision, weakness), paralysis of the facial muscles, inflammation of the spinal cord (muscle weakness in the legs and arms, numbness, problems with mobility, the bladder and bowel) or any inflammation of the skin.

Panel dated 18 February 2025.

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