Feasibility and benefits of systemic second-line therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) – a retrospective analysis

Introduction: Sorafenib is the systemic first-line therapy (ST1) standard in patients (pts) with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The feasibility and benefits of systemic second-line therapy (ST2) are unclear. Methods: Retrospective analysis of pts with advanced HCC treated with sorafenib from January 2007 to June 2012 at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany. Pts with disease progression on or intolerance to sorafenib were analyzed to determine candidacy for ST2. The overall survival (OS) was appraised by Kaplan-Meier method and baseline factors have been anal…