Efficacy and safety of sorafenib in elderly patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of sorafenib in elderly patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: We analyzed data from a cohort of patients with advanced HCC treated using systemic treatment according to the local institutional protocol. Patients were divided into two groups, Group A, individuals <70 years of age, and Group B, individuals 70 years of age or older at the time of treatment initiation. Efficacy, measured based on overall survival (OS) and time to treatment failure (TTF), and toxicity were compared between groups. RESULTS: A total of 238 patients with advanced HCC who received sorafenib between 2007 and 2018 were evaluated. The median age for Group A was 59.1 years and that for Group B 73.6 years. The major prognostic characteristics were balanced between the groups. There were no significant differences in OS between Group A (8.0 months, 95%CI 6.34-9.3) and Group B (9.0 months, 95%CI 5.38-12.62), p=0.433, or in TTF between Group A (3.0 months, 95%CI 2.39-3.60) and Group B (3.0 months, 95%CI 1.68-4.32), p=0.936. There were no significant differences between Groups A and B with respect to the incidence of adverse events or treatment discontinuation because of toxicity. CONCLUSION: Efficacy and safety of sorafenib did not differ significantly between younger and older patients with HCC. Our data suggest that age alone should not restrict clinical decision-making for patients with advanced HCC.

Management of hepatocellular carcinoma during the COVID-19 pandemic - São Paulo Clínicas liver cancer group multidisciplinary consensus statement

More than 18 million people in 188 countries have been diagnosed as having coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and COVID-19 has been responsible for more than 600,000 deaths worldwide. Brazil is now the second most affected country globally. Faced with this scenario, various public health measures and changes in the daily routines of hospitals were implemented to stop the pandemic. Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are at an increased risk for severe COVID-19 as they present with two major diseases: cancer and concomitant chronic liver disease. The COVID-19 pandemic can significantly impact the management of HCC patients from diagnosis to treatment strategies. These patients need special attention and assistance at this time, especially since treatment for tumors cannot be delayed in most cases. The aim of this guideline was to standardize the management of HCC patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. This document was developed, on the basis of the best evidence available, by a multidisciplinary team from Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (ICESP), and Instituto Central of the Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo (HC-FMUSP), which are members of the São Paulo Clínicas Liver Cancer Group.

Fatores associados a não reconstrução do trânsito intestinal em pacientes com câncer retal submetidos à ressecção anterior do reto e ileostomia de proteção / Factors preventing restoration of bowel continuity in patients with rectal cancer submitted to anterior rectal resection and protective ileostomy

RESUMO Objetivo: avaliar os fatores associados ao não fechamento de ileostomia protetora após ressecção anterior do reto com excisão total do mesorreto por câncer retal, a morbidade associada ao fechamento destas ileostomias e a taxa de estomia permanente em pacientes com adenocarcinoma retal. Métodos: estudo retrospectivo de 174 pacientes consecutivos com diagnóstico de tumores retais, dos quais 92 foram submetidos à ressecção anterior do reto com intenção curativa, anastomose coloanal ou colorretal e ileostomia de proteção. Foi realizada análise multivariada visando a determinar os fatores associados à permanência definitiva da estomia, assim como o estudo da morbidade nos que se submeteram à reconstrução do trânsito. Resultados: no período de seguimento de 84 meses, 54 dos 92 pacientes avaliados (58,7%) tiveram a ileostomia fechada e 38 (41,3%) permaneceram com a estomia. Entre os 62 pacientes que tiveram a ileostomia fechada, 11 (17,7%) apresentaram algum tipo de complicação pós-operatória: três com deiscência de anastomose ileal, cinco com obstrução intestinal, dois com infecção de ferida operatória e um com pneumonia. Oito destes pacientes necessitaram de um novo estoma. Conclusão: de acordo com a análise multivariada, os fatores associados à permanência da estomia foram fístula de anastomose, presença de metástases e fechamento da ileostomia durante quimioterapia.

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the factors associated with non-closure of protective ileostomy after anterior resection of the rectum with total mesorectum excision for rectal cancer, the morbidity associated with the closure of ileostomies and the rate of permanent ileostomy in patients with rectal adenocarcinoma. Methods: we conducted a retrospective study with 174 consecutive patients diagnosed with rectal tumors, of whom 92 underwent anterior resection of the rectum with coloanal or colorectal anastomosis and protective ileostomy, with curative intent. We carried out a multivariate analysis to determine the factors associated with definite permanence of the stoma, as well as studied the morbidity of patients who underwent bowel continuity restoration. Results: In the 84-month follow-up period, 54 of the 92 patients evaluated (58.7%) had the ileostomy closed and 38 (41.3%) remained with the stoma. Among the 62 patients who had the ileostomy closed, 11 (17.7%) presented some type of postoperative complication: three had ileal anastomosis dehiscence, five had intestinal obstruction, two had surgical wound infection, and one, pneumonia. Eight of these patients required a new stoma. Conclusion: according to the multivariate analysis, the factors associated with stoma permanence were anastomotic fistula, presence of metastases and closure of the ileostomy during chemotherapy.