Skin toxicity predicts efficacy to sorafenib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM:To study the relationship between adverse events(AEs),efficacy,and nursing intervention for sorafenibtherapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS:We enrolled 37 consecutive patients withadvanced HCC who received sorafenib therapy.Relationships among baseline characteristics as well as AEoccurrence and tumor response,overall survival(OS),and treatment duration were analyzed.The nursingintervention program consisted of education regardingself-monitoring and AEs management,and telephoneRESULTS:A total of 37 patients were enrolled in the study,comprising 30 males(81%) with a median age of 71 years.The disease control rate at 3 mo was 41%,and the median OS and treatment duration were 259 and 108 d,respectively.Nursing intervention was given to 24 patients(65%).Every patient exhibited some kinds of AEs,but no patients experienced G4 AEs.Frequently observed AEs > G2 included anorexia(57%),skin toxicity(57%),and fatigue(54%).Factors significantly associated with longer OS in multivariate analysis demonstrated that age ≤ 70 years,presence of > G2 skin toxicity,and absence of > G2 hypoalbuminemia.The disease control rate in patients with > G2 skin toxicity was 13/20(65%),which was significantly higher compared with that in patients with no or G1 skin toxicity.Multivariate analysis revealed that nursing intervention and > G2 skin toxicity were independent significant predictors for longer treatment duration.CONCLUSION:Skin toxicity was associated with favorable outcomes with sorafenib therapy for advanced HCC.Nursing intervention contributed to better adher-ence,which may improve the efficacy of sorafenib.

Intussusception due to hematogenous metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma to the small intestine:A case report

BACKGROUND The commonest sites of extrahepatic metastases from hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)are the lungs,bones,adrenal glands,and regional lymph nodes.Hematogenous metastasis to the gastrointestinal(GI)tract is a rare condition in patients with HCC,and the prognosis is usually poor.We report,herein,an extremely rare case of a patient with intussusception due to hematogenous metastasis of HCC to the ileum and his long-term survival with multidisciplinary therapy.CASE SUMMARY The patient was a 71-year-old man with a history of chronic hepatitis B,who had undergone three surgeries for HCC.He was treated with sorafenib for peritoneal metastases of HCC.He was admitted to our hospital with chief complaints of abdominal pain and vomiting.Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography imaging revealed a small intestinal tumor,presenting with intussusception and small bowel obstruction.Conservative treatment was started,but due to repeated exacerbation of symptoms,surgery was planned on the 28th d of hospitalization.Partial ileal resection without reducing the intussusception and end-to-end anastomosis was performed.On histological examination,tumor cells were not observed on the serosal surface,but intravascular invasion of tumor cells was seen.Immunohistochemistry was positive for immunohistochemical markers,and a diagnosis of hematogenous metastasis of HCC to the ileum was made.He remains alive 82 mo after the first surgery.CONCLUSION Prognosis of HCC patients with GI tract metastasis is usually poor,but in some cases,multidisciplinary therapy may prolong survival.