Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40221746›Full record

Observational studyWorld journal of surgical oncology2025

Donafenib versus sorafenib in triple therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity score-matched multicenter analysis.

Yaohong Wen, Shuyi Zhou, Yuyan Xu, Cheng Zhang, Zhoubin Feng, Yinghui Song, Bai Ding, Chuang Peng, Hongkun Tan, Chunming Wang and 8 more

Abstract readComparative StudyMulticenter StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in World journal of surgical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Yaohong Wen *General Surgery Center, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong Province, China.
Shuyi Zhou *Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery/Central Laboratory, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China.
Yuyan Xu *General Surgery Center, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong Province, China.
Cheng ZhangGeneral Surgery Center, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong Province, China.
Zhoubin FengGeneral Surgery Center, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong Province, China.
Yinghui SongDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery/Central Laboratory, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China.
Bai DingDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery/Central Laboratory, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China.
Chuang PengDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery/Central Laboratory, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China.
Hongkun TanGeneral Surgery Center, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong Province, China.
Chunming WangGeneral Surgery Center, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong Province, China.
Jianan FengGeneral Surgery Center, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong Province, China.
Jingyuan PeiGeneral Surgery Center, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong Province, China.
Guolin HeGeneral Surgery Center, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong Province, China.
Shunjun FuGeneral Surgery Center, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong Province, China.
Lvhuan WangSuzhou Zelgen Biopharmaceuticals Co, Ltd, Suzhou, China.
Lei CaiGeneral Surgery Center, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong Province, China. cailei_427@163.com.
Sulai LiuDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery/Central Laboratory, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Changsha, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China. liusulai@hunnu.edu.cn.
Mingxin PanGeneral Surgery Center, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery II, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, No.253 Gongye Dadao Zhong, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, 510280, Guangdong Province, China. panmx@smu.edu.cn.

Funding

Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation 2021B1515230011Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province 2023B1111020008National Natural Science Foundation of China 22374045Science and Technology Projects, Guangzhou, China 2023B03J1247
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn recent years, triple therapy (molecular targeted agent + PD-1 inhibitor + transarterial therapy) has emerged as a promising strategy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). However, the optimal molecular targeted agent choice within triple therapy remains unclear. Donafenib is currently the only targeted drug with superior survival benefits compared with sorafenib monotherapy. This study aimed to compare donafenib-based versus sorafenib-based triple therapy in patients with uHCC, providing preliminary evidence to guide molecular targeted agent selection in this emerging treatment paradigm.

methodsThis retrospective study enrolled 106 patients with initially uHCC who received triple therapy combining either donafenib or sorafenib with PD-1 inhibitors and transarterial therapies. A 1:2 nearest neighbour propensity score matching was used to minimize selection bias. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) based on Kaplan-Meier analysis. The secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), surgical conversion rate and adverse events (AEs). Statistical comparisons used Cox regression for survival data and chi-squared/ t-tests for other metrics, with p < 0.05 indicating significance.

resultsAfter matching, 30 patients received sorafenib-based triple therapy (Sor-P-T/H group) and 50 patients received donafenib-based triple therapy (Don-P-T/H group). Although the median OS was not attained, the Don-P-T/H regimen demonstrated a statistically significant survival advantage (HR = 0.317, P = 0.004). Moreover, the Don-P-T/H group demonstrated significantly higher median PFS (9.00 vs. 4.62 months, P = 0.005), ORR (64% vs. 40%, P = 0.037) and surgical conversion rate (26.0% vs. 3.3%, P = 0.01) compared to the Sor-P-T/H group. The two groups showed no notable difference in the overall severity of adverse events but the Don-P-T/H group demonstrated less liver impairment.

conclusionDonafenib may be more advantageous than sorafenib in triple therapy for patients with uHCC.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsCarcinoma, HepatocellularLiver NeoplasmsSorafenibAdultAgedFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisPropensity ScorePyridinesRetrospective StudiesSurvival RatePyridinesSorafenibHepatocellular carcinomaMolecular targeted agentPD-1 inhibitorTransarterial therapyTriple therapy

Identifiers

PMID40221746
PMCPMC11993997

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.