Successful treatment for sorafenib-induced liver dysfunction: a report of case with liver biopsy

Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor with anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic effects and is used worldwide for the treatment of advanced or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While the significant survival benefit of sorafenib in patients with advanced HCC was demonstrated, various treatment-related adverse events might happen. Of them, the incidence of drug-related severe liver dysfunction rarely occurs (<1 %) but is one of the serious adverse events by sorafenib. The authors highlight the case of a 71-year-old man with metastatic HCC with sorafenib-related fatal liver dysfunction (T-Bil 28.6 mg/dL, AST 1611 IU/L, ALT 1098 IU/L) 2 months later even without either intrahepatic viable HCC or hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation. Then, the liver dysfunction was improved following aggressive treatment using hyperbaric oxygen. A liver biopsy demonstrated cholestasis, degeneration, and necrosis in hepatocytes with lymphocyte infiltration. Thus, sorafenib rarely can induce liver dysfunction characterized by cholestatic and hepatocellular injury types, and it could be a fatal event. Clinicians should pay attention to any increase in the liver enzymes in these patients.