Efficacy of sorafenib beyond first progression in patients with metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma

Aim We investigated whether continuous sorafenib administration keeps suppressing the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after first progressive disease (PD), and whether it prolongs patients' survival. Methods The size of metastatic lesions was measured in 36 patients with advanced HCC treated with sorafenib. The tumor growth rates before and after radiological PD as well as survival were compared between the patients who continued (n = 23) and stopped (n = 13) sorafenib at first radiological PD. Results The growth rate did not differ between before and after PD in patients who continued sorafenib, while it increased after PD in patients who stopped sorafenib at PD (P = 0.002). Survival beyond first progression was longer in patients who continued sorafenib than in those who stopped it at PD (P = 0.012), and this tendency was observed even when the analysis was limited to Child-Pugh class A patients (P = 0.085). Conclusion Sorafenib administration beyond first radiological PD could continuously suppress HCC growth and may have survival benefit.