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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 14, 2013; 19(14): 2141-2143
Published online Apr 14, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i14.2141
Published online Apr 14, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i14.2141
Sorafenib and entecavir: The dioscuri of treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma?
Salvatore D’Angelo, Mario Secondulfo, Raffaele De Cristofano, Paolo Sorrentino, Liver Unit, Clinical and Experimental Hepatology, S.G. Moscati Hospital, Contrada Amoretta, 83100 Avellino, Italy
Author contributions: All Authors contributed to patients’ follow-up, analyzed data and drafted the paper.
Correspondence to: Salvatore D’Angelo, MD, Liver Unit, Clinical and Experimental Hepatology, S.G. Moscati Hospital, Contrada Amoretta, 83100 Avellino, Italy. sadangelo@aosgmoscati.av.it
Telephone: +39-82-5203859 Fax: +39-82-5203859
Received: October 22, 2012
Revised: January 9, 2013
Accepted: January 23, 2013
Published online: April 14, 2013
Revised: January 9, 2013
Accepted: January 23, 2013
Published online: April 14, 2013
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is responsible for 50%-80% of cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. Entecavir (ET) is a potent inhibitor of chronic HBV-DNA polymerase, inhibiting both the priming and elongation steps of viral DNA replication. Sorafenib (SO) has proven efficacy in prolonging survival in patients with advanced HCC. In this frontier report we discuss a possible way to optimize treatment outcomes in patients with HBV and HCC by treatment with ET and SO, on the basis of our practice and published evidence from the literature.