INTRODUCTION: Recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following liver transplantation (LT) carries a poor prognosis. The aim of our study was to assess the safety and efficacy of sorafenib in patients with recurrent HCC following LT. METHODS: A prospectively maintained LT database was retrospectively analyzed for patients with recurrent HCC following LT between 2001 and 2011-34 patients. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they were prescribed sorafenib (n = 17) or not prescribed sorafenib (n = 17). The primary endpoint was overall survival. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups analyzed. Seventeen patients were on sorafenib for recurrent HCC, with a mean daily dose of ~444 mg. Mean duration of treatment was ~10 months. Side effects included: thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, rising transaminases, fatigue, hand-foot skin reaction, and nausea. Survival in the sorafenib vs. non-sorafenib group was greater at three-, six-, nine-, and 12-month intervals and overall survival. CONCLUSION: Sorafenib can be well tolerated and safe in patients with recurrent HCC following LT and may be associated with a modest survival benefit. To our knowledge, this is the largest single-center retrospective analysis of patients prescribed sorafenib for recurrent HCC after LT.
INTRODUCTION: Recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) following liver transplantation (LT) carries a poor prognosis. The aim of our study was to assess the safety and efficacy of sorafenib in patients with recurrent HCC following LT. METHODS: A prospectively maintained LT database was retrospectively analyzed for patients with recurrent HCC following LT between 2001 and 2011-34 patients. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they were prescribed sorafenib (n = 17) or not prescribed sorafenib (n = 17). The primary endpoint was overall survival. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups analyzed. Seventeen patients were on sorafenib for recurrent HCC, with a mean daily dose of ~444 mg. Mean duration of treatment was ~10 months. Side effects included: thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, rising transaminases, fatigue, hand-foot skin reaction, and nausea. Survival in the sorafenib vs. non-sorafenib group was greater at three-, six-, nine-, and 12-month intervals and overall survival. CONCLUSION:Sorafenib can be well tolerated and safe in patients with recurrent HCC following LT and may be associated with a modest survival benefit. To our knowledge, this is the largest single-center retrospective analysis of patients prescribed sorafenib for recurrent HCC after LT.
Authors: Matthew M Yeh; Raymond S Yeung; Smith Apisarnthanarax; Renuka Bhattacharya; Carlos Cuevas; William P Harris; Tony Lim Kiat Hon; Siddharth A Padia; James O Park; Kevin M Riggle; Sayed S Daoud Journal: World J Hepatol Date: 2015-06-18