Comparison of Sorafenib and Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Score Matching Study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This prospective non-randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the efficacy of sorafenib vs hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODOLOGY

Forty-seven patients treated with sorafenib (sorafenib group) and 77 patients treated with HAIC (HAIC group) were investigated retrospectively using propensity score matching (PSM) to minimize selection bias. The cumulative survival rate was investigated before and after PSM in each of the sorafenib and HAIC groups. The cumulative survival rate was compared between the sorafenib and HAIC groups, and among the TNM stage by the Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan (LCSGJ TNM stage).

RESULTS

No significant difference was noted in overall survival (OS) between the sorafenib and HAIC groups regardless of before or after PSM. On comparison of the cumulative survival rate between the groups by the same LCSGJ TNM stage, significant prolongation of OS was noted in stage IVB only in the sorafenib group (p = 0.032) after PSM.

CONCLUSIONS

It may be better to actively introduce sorafenib for stage IVB, i.e., patients with extrahepatic metastasis.