Open AccessSustained complete response of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus following discontinuation of sorafenib: A case report
Author(s) -
Kazue Shiozawa,
Manabu Watanabe,
Takashi Ikehara,
Yasushi Matsukiyo,
Michio Kogame,
Masahiro Kanayama,
Teppei Matsui,
Yoshinori Kikuchi,
Koji Ishii,
Yoshinori Igarashi,
Yasukiyo Sumino
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
oncology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.766
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1792-1082
pISSN - 1792-1074
DOI - 10.3892/ol.2013.1664
Subject(s) - hepatocellular carcinoma , sorafenib , portal vein , discontinuation , medicine , thrombus , molecular medicine , carcinoma , cancer , radiology , oncogene , oncology , general surgery , gastroenterology , cell cycle
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. No effective treatment has been established for unresectable advanced HCC, and the prognosis is poor. Sorafenib is an oral multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor for unresectable advanced HCC that significantly improves progression-free and overall survival. However, in the two large phase III clinical trials (the SHARP and Asia-Pacific trials), no cases of complete response (CR) were reported. The present study reports the case of a 68-year-old male with hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis and multiple recurrent HCCs, with a tumor thrombus of the third portal vein following resection. The patient received 400 mg once daily (half the standard dose) of sorafenib for two years and achieved a CR. At the most recent follow-up examination at one year after the cessation of treatment, the patient was observed to be in remission without clinical or imaging evidence of disease recurrence.