Title:Safety and Effectiveness of Sorafenib in the Treatment of Advanced Hepatocellular
Carcinoma
Volume: 18
Issue: 2
Author(s): Ardra Thottarath Prasanthan, Dona Raju, Syamaprasad Thachethukunnil Vinayakumar, Mary Jacob, Anand Chandran, Meenu Vijayan*Pavithran Keechilatu
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Amrita School Of Pharmacy, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, Kerala, India
Keywords:
Hepatocellular carcinoma, sorafenib, alpha feto-protein, adverse event, antiangiogenic effects, hepatic malignancies.
Abstract:
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent kind of primary liver
cancer and a significant cause of cancer-related mortality across the world. Sorafenib is considered
the approved drug of choice in advanced HCC, which is an oral multikinase inhibitor with effective
antiproliferative and antiangiogenic effects. In India, there is currently insufficient data on the safety
and efficacy of sorafenib in the treatment of HCC.
Objective: The study aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of sorafenib therapy in advanced
HCC.
Methods: A prospective study of 66 patients administered with sorafenib for advanced HCC
between June 2016 and May 2017 was carried out in a single center with a mean follow-up of 3
months. The adverse events (AEs) were graded using the Common Terminology Criteria for
Adverse Events (CTCAE), version 4.0. Effectiveness was analyzed based on alpha-fetoprotein
(AFP) levels from laboratory findings. The median age was 63 years (range 61-70), with the male to
female ratio of 16:1.
Results: The most commonly observed adverse events were fatigue (31.81%), hand-foot syndrome
(24.24%), and diarrhea (24.24%). A statistically significant decline in AFP levels was observed with
sorafenib treatment (p= <0.001).
Conclusion: Sorafenib appears to be beneficial for individuals with advanced HCC, regardless of the
baseline condition.
