The Therapeutic Benefits of Combined Sorafenib for Intermediate Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma Unresponsive to Transarterial Chemoembolization in a Chinese population.

AIM Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the treatment modality to the intermediate stage, or BCLC stage B hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the benefit to outcomes is still low. The aim of this study was to assess the outcomes of combined TACE and sorafenib to the patients with intermediate HCC. METHODS The patients with intermediate stage HCC, who were receiving TACE alone (the monotherapy group), or combined TACE and sorafenib (the combined therapy group), from January 2013 to June 2018, were enrolled. RESULTS There were 64 patients enrolled, including 34 and 30 assigned to the monotherapy group and the combined therapy group respectively. A prolonged time-to-progression (TTP) (mean 14.46 vs. 6.39 months, p=0.001) was noted in the combined therapy group compared with the monotherapy group. The overall survival (OS) (mean 18.96 vs. 15.44 months, p=1.000) between the two groups were not significantly different. After adjustment, there were neither significant differences of mortality rate at 12 to 18 months between these two groups. CONCLUSION The patients with intermediate stage HCC receiving combined TACE and sorafenib has a better TTP, but not OS, than those receiving TACE alone. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.