Clinical response after sorafenib  for hepatocellular carcinoma in elderly patients:  a report of two cases.
Among primary liver cancers occurring worldwide, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major histological type accounting for 70-85% of all cases. Phase III trials in patients with advanced HCC treated with sorafenib (SO), a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, showed significant improvements in both overall and progression-free survival. We report the cases of two elderly patients with advanced HCC who had prolonged stable disease following treatment with SO (400 mg bid). Patient 1 was treated with SO for a period of 16 months until evidence of right sacral metastases was noted. Patient 2 received SO 400 mg bid from January 2009 to October 2009 until radiological evidence of disease progression was noted. Both patients experienced minimal toxicity, suggesting that SO can be safely administered to elderly patients.
Department of Medicine, Upper Gastro-Intestinal Tract and Neuroendocrine Tumors Unit, and European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy. francesca.spada@ieo.it
Francesca
F
Spada
Michela
M
Squadroni
Katia
K
Lorizzo
Antonio
A
Farris
Nicola
N
Fazio
D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001557:Benzenesulfonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009536:Niacinamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077157:Sorafenib; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001557:Benzenesulfonates; D010671:Phenylurea Compounds; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011725:Pyridines; D009536:Niacinamide; D000077157:Sorafenib