ArticleCancers2025
Evaluating Sorafenib (SORA-2) as Second-Line Treatment for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A European Retrospective Multicenter Study.
Article in Cancers, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pan-Asian adapted ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.ESMO open · 2026Guideline
- Article
- First-Line Durvalumab-Tremelimumab in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Real-World Data from Turkey.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Article
- Navigating second-line therapy after immunotherapy in advanced HCC☆.JHEP reports : innovation in hepatology · 2026Review
- LenvatinibJHEP reports : innovation in hepatology · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
33 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesSystemic treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has rapidly advanced, with immune checkpoint inhibitors now the preferred first-line option. However, with multiple agents available and no established treatment sequence, selecting the most suitable second-line (2L) therapy remains challenging. While sorafenib is frequently chosen for 2L treatment, comprehensive data supporting its use is limited. This study evaluates the effectiveness of sorafenib as 2L therapy and factors influencing outcomes following first-line treatment failure in advanced HCC patients.
methodsThis is a retrospective, multicenter study, including 81 patients with unresectable HCC from 12 European centers who received sorafenib as 2L treatment. Median overall survival (mOS), median progression-free survival (mPFS), radiological response to treatment, and toxicity were evaluated. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify potential predictors of clinical benefit.
resultsIn this cohort, some patients were treated with 2L sorafenib mOS for 7.4 months (95% CI: 6.6-13.6) and other patients were treated with mPFS for 3.7 months (95% CI: 3.0-4.8). Multivariable analysis revealed the best median OS for patients with CP A and AFP levels < 400 ng/mL (15.5 months). Adverse events (AE) of grade ≥ 3 were reported in 59.4% of patients.
conclusionsIn this real-world cohort of European patients with unresectable HCC, the outcome of sorafenib treatment in the 2L setting was comparable to that of the other established 2L treatment options in patients with preserved liver function and good performance status. This study contributes to the understanding of the role of sorafenib in the 2L setting and underscores the need for further research to identify predictive factors for response and survival in order to optimize treatment algorithms for advanced HCC.
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