Long-term follow-up of complete remission of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma following sorafenib therapy: A case report

Sorafenib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has been demonstrated to improve the overall survival time of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although there have been a number of reports of patients achieving complete remission (CR) following sorafenib therapy, the long-term clinical outcomes of these patients have yet to be ascertained. A 72-year-old male patient with chronic hepatitis C, diabetes, hypertension and an old cerebral infarction was referred for the evaluation of a liver mass identified on an abdominal ultrasound. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a 13-cm mass replacing the right lobe of the liver, with portal vein thrombosis. HCC was confirmed by a percutaneous needle biopsy and treated with sorafenib. At 4 months, a follow-up CT demonstrated no enhancing viable lesions in the tumor and recanalization of the portal vein. Sorafenib therapy was continued for 48 months until the patient experienced dyspnea due to congestive heart failure, with pleural effusion. Following the discontinuation of sorafenib, the patient's symptoms improved. The patient followed up without recurrence for 52 months. Subsequent to achieving CR through treatment with sorafenib, long-term sorafenib therapy may be an option and efforts should be made to monitor cardiac toxicity during sorafenib therapy, particularly in high-risk patients.