New hope for liver cancer return after transplant: drug trial launches

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Have histologically or cytologically confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma that has recurred. * Previously underwent a liver transplant as a curative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). * Not amenable to curative surgery or local treatment for recurrent disease. * Must have measurable disease. * No prior treatment with cabozantinib. May be systemic therapy naïve or have received up to 1 line of prior therapy for advanced HCC with sorafenib or lenvatinib. * Age ≥18 years. * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 01. * Life expectancy of \>3 months. * Normal organ and marrow function. * Adequate cardiac function. * No evidence of active uncontrolled infection. * Understand and willing to sign written informed consent document. * Recovered from prior toxicities to \< grade 1. * Able to take oral medications. * Agree to use effective contraceptive methods until at least 30 days (for women) and 3 months (for men) after the last administration of study medication. Serum pregnancy test should be negative. Exclusion Criteria: * Had systemic therapy or radiotherapy \<3 weeks. * Receiving any other investigational agents. * With known brain metastases unless stable for \>3 months. * History of allergic reactions attributed to cabozantinib. * Has uncontrolled, significant intercurrent or recent illness: * Cardiovascular disorders * Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders including those associated with a high risk of perforation or fistula formation * Major surgery within 2 months before randomization * Cavitating pulmonary lesion(s) or endobronchial disease (untreated) * Lesion invading a major blood vessel * Clinically significant bleeding risk \<3 months * Other clinically significant disorders: * Active infection requiring systemic treatment, known infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or known acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related illness * Serious non-healing wound/ulcer/bone fracture * Malabsorption syndrome * Uncompensated/symptomatic hypothyroidism * Requirement for hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis * Pregnant women. * Any other condition that would, in the Investigator's judgment, contraindicate the patient's participation in the clinical study due to safety concerns or compliance with clinical study procedures * Active hepatitis B or C in liver graft * Patients with a grade \>= 2 elevated liver enzymes who are suspected of cellular rejection will undergo biopsy. Patients diagnosed with cellular rejection in the biopsy sample using the Banff schema are ineligible. * Fibrolamellar carcinoma or mixed hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma * Moderate or severe ascites * Concomitant use of anticoagulants at therapeutic doses * Has a known history of prior invasive malignancy except if patient has undergone curative-intent therapy with no evidence of disease recurrence for 2 years prior to study entry.