A long-lasting response to sorafenib treatment in an advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patient

Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2010 Jul-Sep;23(3):951-4. doi: 10.1177/039463201002300332.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. No effective systemic treatment has been established, except for sorafenib chemotherapy. In fact, sorafenib has proved to provide a statistically significant survival extension of about two months in two phase III trials in the North America-Europe area and in the Asia-Pacific area, which respectively reported a median survival after treatment of 10.7 and 6.5 months, respectively. We report the case of an HCC patient, who received a four-month therapy with sorafenib with a clinical, biochemical and radiographic response, but had to interrupt treatment because of a myocardial infarction. Surprisingly, despite no antitumor treatment having been administered for about a year, the patient has shown no tumor progression and is currently on a close follow-up. Should other similar cases be presented, a subset of patients with long-lasting response to sorafenib might be identified.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Benzenesulfonates / adverse effects
  • Benzenesulfonates / therapeutic use*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / complications
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy*
  • Disease Progression
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / complications
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardial Infarction / complications
  • Niacinamide / analogs & derivatives
  • Phenylurea Compounds
  • Pyridines / adverse effects
  • Pyridines / therapeutic use*
  • Sorafenib

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzenesulfonates
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Phenylurea Compounds
  • Pyridines
  • Niacinamide
  • Sorafenib