Sorafenib Versus Apatinib Both Combined Transarterial Chemoembolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis: A Comparative Retrospective Study

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combining with sorafenib or apatinib for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT). Methods: From June 2015 to March 2020, a total of 89 consecutive advanced HCC patients with PVTT who were treated with sorafenib-TACE (S-TACE) or apatinib-TACE (A-TACE) in our center were enrolled. The overall survival (OS), time to progression (TTP), tumor response, and adverse events in the two groups were compared. Results: There were 32 and 41 patients included in the S-TACE group and A-TACE group, respectively. The median follow-up was 10.0 months (range, 3.0-36.0 months) in the whole study. The median OS (11.0 vs. 10.0 months, P = 0.419), median TTP (5.0 vs. 6.0 months, P = 0.073), and tumor response (P = 0.529) between the S-TACE group and the A-TACE group were not significantly different. The adverse events related to sorafenib or apatinib were tolerable. Conclusion: S-TACE and A-TACE exhibited comparable prognosis for HCC patients with PVTT, which provide another effective and safe method of A-TACE for these patients except for conventional S-TACE.

Automated summary

This study compared the efficacy and safety of sorafenib-TACE (S-TACE) and apatinib-TACE (A-TACE) for HCC patients with PVTT. The results showed no significant difference in OS, TTP, and tumor response between the two groups. Adverse events related to sorafenib or apatinib were manageable, indicating A-TACE as an effective and safe alternative for these patients apart from conventional S-TACE.