Attenuation of liver stiffness in sorafenib-treated patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Aim: Sorafenib is a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor and the standard therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This retrospective study aimed to observe the anti-fibrotic effect of sorafenib in patients with advanced HCC.

Methods: Seventeen patients with advanced HCC were recruited. Shear wave velocity (SWV) using acoustic radiation force impulse elastography and non-invasive serum markers for liver fibrosis, such as the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to alanine aminotransferase ratio (AAR), the AST to platelet ratio index, the fibrosis-4 index and the Lok index, were recorded at the beginning of sorafenib treatment and 3-6 months after sorafenib treatment in 2014-2015.

Results: Nine (52.9%) patients achieved disease control status and 8 had progressive disease after a mean duration of 11.1 months with sorafenib treatment. The mean SWV decreased from 2.37 m/s at the beginning to 1.90 m/s after sorafenib treatment (P < 0.01). This trend was observed in patients with and without liver cirrhosis (from 2.49 to 2.06 m/s, P = 0.06, and from 2.32 to 1.69 m/s, P < 0.05, respectively). Among the non-invasive serum markers, no statistically significant differences were observed except for the AAR in the cirrhotic group.

Conclusion: Sorafenib has potential antif-ibrotic effects in patients with advanced HCC.

Keywords

Sorafenib / liver stiffness / attenuation / advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

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