Case analysis of complete remission of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma achieved with sorafenib

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the feasibility and security of complete remission (CR) of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) achieved with sorafenib treatment, and investigate the previously described predictive factors in CR. METHODS: The case of a patient who achieved CR of advanced HCC with sorafenib treatment was analyzed. The case analysis was performed by a literature review of relevant reports retrieved from the PubMed database. RESULTS: A 58-year-old male patient achieved CR of advanced HCC after 23 weeks of oral treatment with sorafenib alone for 41 months and maintained CR for more than 35 months. Eleven reports worldwide have documented a total of twelve patients who achieved CR of advanced HCC, including six with nonsurgical oral sorafenib treatment, four with surgical resection in the descent stage following oral sorafenib treatment and two with oral sorafenib treatment for postoperative metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: For unresectable advanced HCC, sorafenib can significantly improve progression-free survival and overall survival, achieving CR in some cases. In addition, surgical resection of advanced HCC in the descent stage is possible following oral sorafenib treatment. For patients with postoperative distant metastasis of HCC, sorafenib treatment also provides clinical benefits and can even achieve CR. Besides, long-term sorafenib administration is safe, and patients should continually receive sorafenib to avoid recurrence after complete remission of cancer. Furthermore, early HFSR, rapid decline of AFP levels and rapid tumor shrinking observed by imaging are known parameters describing sorafenib’s effects. Finally, it is important to assess the gene locus of sorafenib sensitivity in HCC patients in future research.