Sustained complete response of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with metronomic capecitabine: a report of three cases

• Published in: Cancer communications (London, England) Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Brandi, Giovanni, Venturi, Michela, De Lorenzo, Stefania, Garuti, Francesca, Frega, Giorgio, Palloni, Andrea, Garajovà, Ingrid, Abbati, Francesca, Saccoccio, Gioconda, Golfieri, Rita, Pantaleo, Maria Abbondanza, Barbera, Maria Aurelia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central 26.06.2018; Wiley
• Subjects: Administration, Metronomic; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic - administration & dosage; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic - therapeutic use; Capecitabine; Capecitabine - administration & dosage; Capecitabine - therapeutic use; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - drug therapy; Case Report; Complete response; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Humans; Liver - drug effects; Liver - pathology; Liver Neoplasms - drug therapy; Male; Metronomic capecitabine; Protein Kinase Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Protein Kinase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Remission Induction; Sorafenib; Sorafenib - administration & dosage; Sorafenib - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Capecitabine; Complete response; Metronomic capecitabine; Sorafenib
• ISSN: 2523-3548; 2523-3548
• DOI: 10.1186/s40880-018-0312-1

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent causes of cancer‐related death. Sorafenib, a multitarget angiogenesis inhibitor, is an approved frontline treatment for advanced HCC in Western countries, although a complete response (CR) to treatment is infrequently reported. Capecitabine, an oral fluoropyrimidine, has been shown to be effect in both treatment‐naïve patients and those previously treated with sorafenib. To date, however, only one case of sustained CR to metronomic capecitabine has been reported. Case presentation We describe three cases of advanced HCC treated with metronomic capecitabine where a CR was obtained. In the first case, capecitabine was administered as first line therapy; in the second case, capecitabine was used after intolerance to sorafenib; while in the third case, capecitabine was administered after sorafenib failure. Conclusion Capecitabine is a potentially important treatment option for patients with advanced HCC and may even represent a cure in certain cases.