Open AccessSorafenib With and Without Transarterial Chemoembolization for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Main Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis: A Retrospective Analysis
Author(s) -
Zhang Yingqiang,
Fan Wenzhe,
Wang Yu,
Lu Ligong,
Fu Sirui,
Yang Jianyong,
Huang Yonghui,
Yao Wang,
Li Jiaping
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the oncologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.176
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1549-490X
pISSN - 1083-7159
DOI - 10.1634/theoncologist.2015-0196
Subject(s) - sorafenib , medicine , hepatocellular carcinoma , portal vein thrombosis , retrospective cohort study , adverse effect , thrombosis , response evaluation criteria in solid tumors , combination therapy , transcatheter arterial chemoembolization , progressive disease , oncology , gastroenterology , surgery , chemotherapy
Background. The survival benefit of combining sorafenib and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy compared with sorafenib monotherapy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and main portal vein tumor thrombosis (MPVTT) is unclear. Methods. Between January 2009 and June 2013, 183 consecutive patients with advanced HCC (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C) and MPVTT were retrospectively reviewed. Of these, 89 patients with advanced HCC and MPVTT were enrolled in this study: 45 were treated with combination therapy (sorafenib‐TACE group), and the other 44 treated with sorafenib monotherapy (sorafenib group). Results. The mean number of TACE sessions per patient was 2.6 (range: 1–5). The median duration of sorafenib in the sorafenib‐TACE group and sorafenib group was 5.6 months and 5.4 months, respectively. The disease control rate was similar between the two groups. Median time to progression was 3.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.2, 3.7) in the sorafenib‐TACE group, and 3.0 months (95% CI: 2.1, 3.8) in the sorafenib group ( p = .924). Median overall survival was 7.0 months (95% CI: 6.1, 7.8) and 6.0 months (95% CI: 4.7, 7.3) in the sorafenib‐TACE group and the sorafenib group, respectively ( p = .544). The adverse events related to sorafenib were comparable between the two groups. Twenty‐one adverse events of grade 3–4 related to TACE occurred in 12 patients (26.7%), and 2 of them died (4.4%). Conclusion. This study demonstrated no advantage of combination therapy over sorafenib monotherapy. Considering the patients’ morbidity after TACE, sorafenib monotherapy is appropriate for managing patients with advanced HCC and MPVTT. Implications for Practice: For patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and main portal vein tumor thrombosis (MPVTT), no benefit was seen in this study in terms of disease control rate, time to progression, and overall survival for patients receiving sorafenib and transarterial chemoembolization compared with those receiving sorafenib monotherapy. Considering the patients’ morbidity after combination therapy, monotherapy is appropriate for managing patients with advanced HCC and MPVTT.