Diarrhea is a positive outcome predictor for sorafenib treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: This study was performed to identify clinical predictors for better survival in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) under sorafenib treatment.

Methods: Between December 2007 and January 2010, 46 patients with advanced HCC were treated with sorafenib until significant tumor progression or intolerable toxicity. We prospectively collected clinical baseline data as well as data on the incidence and severity of toxic side effects of sorafenib to be correlated with progression-free survival and overall survival (OS), respectively.