Donafenib treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report

RATIONALE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver cancer. The efficacy of the present treatment is disappointing, and the prognosis is poor. Donafenib, a novel multikinase inhibitor, is a new deuterated derivative of sorafenib. It can improve overall survival in patients with advanced HCC, with a favorable safety and tolerability profile over sorafenib. PATIENT CONCERNS: Here, we report the case of a 51-year-old male patient who presented with experienced epigastric discomfort for the prior several days. He had a history of untreated chronic hepatitis B virus infection for >29 years and no other underlying diseases. Based on further investigations, he was diagnosed with advanced HCC and refused surgery. DIAGNOSIS: Based on the patient's performance status, tumor status assessed by computed tomography, liver function, and percutaneous liver biopsy, he was diagnosed with advanced HCC Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Stage C. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was administered a 200-mg oral dose of donafenib twice-daily. OUTCOMES: The patient was followed-up from the time of diagnosis. He received donafenib for 31 months, and the progression-free survival time was 31 months (from May 2017 to December 2019); the overall survival time was not reached. The patient reported little abdominal distension with no other obvious discomfort while taking the medication. LESSON: Donafenib showed good efficacy for the treatment of advanced HCC, with mild side effects. Deuterium-containing drugs seem to be a promising avenue for medical innovation.