BACKGROUND: Recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after orthotopic liver transplantation not amenable to surgical approaches is associated with poor outcome. AIMS: Retrospective evaluation of the safety and efficacy of sorafenib in patients with post-transplant hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence. METHODS: Patients with post-transplant hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence were treated with sorafenib. Adverse events were assessed using National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria of AEs version 3.0, tumour response was evaluated according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours. RESULTS: First-line therapy after recurrence was surgery (n=6), radiation therapy (n=1), chemotherapy (n=1), and sorafenib (n=3). Finally, 11 patients were treated with sorafenib. Nine patients (82%) received an additionally targeted therapy with sirolimus as part of their immunosuppressive regimen. Most common grade 3 adverse events included diarrhoea (46%), hand-foot skin reaction (27%), nausea, fatigue, and leucopoenia (all 18%). Sorafenib had to be discontinued in two patients due to adverse events and six additional patients required a dose adjustment. No deterioration of liver graft function occurred. Median time to progression was 4.1 months; however, patients were treated with ongoing sorafenib in case of clinical benefit (median 8.9 months). Median overall survival after initiation of sorafenib treatment was 20.1 months. CONCLUSION: Sorafenib in combination with immunosuppression including sirolimus may be administered to patients with post-transplant hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence with acceptable toxicity and without deterioration of liver graft function.
BACKGROUND: Recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after orthotopic liver transplantation not amenable to surgical approaches is associated with poor outcome. AIMS: Retrospective evaluation of the safety and efficacy of sorafenib in patients with post-transplant hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence. METHODS:Patients with post-transplant hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence were treated with sorafenib. Adverse events were assessed using National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria of AEs version 3.0, tumour response was evaluated according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours. RESULTS: First-line therapy after recurrence was surgery (n=6), radiation therapy (n=1), chemotherapy (n=1), and sorafenib (n=3). Finally, 11 patients were treated with sorafenib. Nine patients (82%) received an additionally targeted therapy with sirolimus as part of their immunosuppressive regimen. Most common grade 3 adverse events included diarrhoea (46%), hand-foot skin reaction (27%), nausea, fatigue, and leucopoenia (all 18%). Sorafenib had to be discontinued in two patients due to adverse events and six additional patients required a dose adjustment. No deterioration of liver graft function occurred. Median time to progression was 4.1 months; however, patients were treated with ongoing sorafenib in case of clinical benefit (median 8.9 months). Median overall survival after initiation of sorafenib treatment was 20.1 months. CONCLUSION:Sorafenib in combination with immunosuppression including sirolimus may be administered to patients with post-transplant hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence with acceptable toxicity and without deterioration of liver graft function.
Authors: Jan Pfeiffenberger; Ronald Koschny; Katrin Hoffmann; Arianeb Mehrabi; Anne Schmitz; Boris Radeleff; Wolfgang Stremmel; Peter Schemmer; Tom M Ganten Journal: Langenbecks Arch Surg Date: 2013-10-04 Impact factor: 3.445
Authors: Michael Vouche; Laura Kulik; Rohi Atassi; Khairuddin Memon; Ryan Hickey; Daniel Ganger; Frank H Miller; Vahid Yaghmai; Michael Abecassis; Talia Baker; Mary Mulcahy; Ritu Nayar; Robert J Lewandowski; Riad Salem Journal: Hepatology Date: 2013-10-01 Impact factor: 17.425