Sorafenib treatment of radioiodine-refractory advanced thyroid cancer in daily clinical practice: a cohort study from a single center

Treatment options for recurrent or metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) refractory to radioactive iodine (RAI) are inadequate. Multitargeted kinase inhibitors have recently shown promising results in phase 2–3 studies. This retrospective study aimed to document our clinical experience on the effects of sorafenib in the setting of daily clinical practice. Retrospective study evaluating the efficacy and safety of sorafenib in a cohort of patients consecutively treated with sorafenib at a single center. Twenty patients with advanced RAI-refractory thyroid carcinoma were enrolled (March 2011–March 2014). Patients generally started with 400 mg of sorafenib twice daily, tapering the dose in case of side effects. Radiological response and toxicity were measured during follow-up, together with safety parameters. CT scans were performed by a single experienced radiologist every 3–4 months. Five patients stopped sorafenib within 90 days due to severe toxicities. Median progression-free survival was 248 days. Five patients had a partial response (PR), achieved in all cases within 3 months, whereas 5 had stable disease (SD) at 12 months. Durable response rate (PR plus SD) for at least 6 months was 50 %, among those who received sorafenib for at least 3 months. Commonest adverse events included skin toxicity, gastrointestinal and constitutional symptoms. In our cohort of patients with advanced RAI-refractory thyroid carcinoma, sorafenib confirmed antitumor activity leading to SD or PR in the majority of cases, at the expense of clinically relevant side effects. More effective and tolerable agents are still needed in the treatment of RAI-refractory DTC.