Background: No reliable prognostic predictor is known for patients undergoing sorafenib treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Patients and methods: In 81 patients receiving sorafenib treatment for advanced HCC, we evaluated the prognostic significance of an inflammation-based prognostic score, the Glasgow prognostic score [evidenced by an elevated C-reactive protein level (>1.0 mg/dl) and hypoalbuminemia (<3.5 g/dl)] and compared it with Child-Pugh grade, Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system, Japan Integrated Staging (JIS) score, and the performance status by Cox-proportional analysis.
Results: Median overall survival after sorafenib administration was 11.3 months. On multivariate analysis, Glasgow prognostic score (0 vs. 1 and 2; p<0.001), JIS score (1 and 2 vs. 3 and 4; p=0.001), and performance status (0 vs. 1; p=0.001) were found to be independently associated with survival.
Conclusion: The Glasgow prognostic score has significant prognostic value in patients undergoing sorafenib treatment for advanced HCC.