Safety and Effectiveness of Sorafenib in the Treatment of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

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.