Predictors of survival in patients with established cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma treated with sorafenib.

Aim: To investigate in greater detail the efficacy and safety of sorafenib for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with established cirrhosis.

Methods: From October 2009 to July 2012 patients with an established diagnosis of cirrhosis and HCC treated with sorafenib were consecutively enrolled. According to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) classification, patients were in the advanced stage (BCLC-C) or in the intermediate stage (BCLC-B) but unfit or unresponsive to other therapeutic strategies.