PATIENTS with advanced liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma / HCC) have a greater hope to extend and maintain the quality of life. With a focus on cancer therapy using target drug Sorafenib, HCC patients may increase survival by 47 percent.
"Sorafenib has become a standard system for the treatment of advanced stage liver cancer. It is the only therapy that has demonstrated an increased survival rate for patients with liver cancer in the world and also in Indonesia," said Professor Ali Sulaiman SpDP-KGEH, from the Division Hematology Department of Internal Medicine Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia Ciptomangunkusumo Hospital (Faculty of medicine / RSCM) in Jakarta, Thursday (26 / 6).
"Sorafenib has become a standard system for the treatment of advanced stage liver cancer. It is the only therapy that has demonstrated an increased survival rate for patients with liver cancer in the world and also in Indonesia," said Professor Ali Sulaiman SpDP-KGEH, from the Division Hematology Department of Internal Medicine Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia Ciptomangunkusumo Hospital (Faculty of medicine / RSCM) in Jakarta, Thursday (26 / 6).
The ability of Sorafenib extends life expectancy, continued Prof. Ali, can be seen from the results of various research including international research SHARP phase-3 are performed on patients with liver cancer in the U.S., Europe and Australia / New Zealand showed Sorafenib significantly improves the quality of survival sebasar 44 percent.
In a similar study, also evaluating the efficacy and safety compared with placebo Sorafenib performed on 226 patients with HCC in the Asia Pacific region, namely Asia Pacific Phase III Study, proved that Sorafenib significantly increases survival by 47.3 percent in stage liver cancer patients information.
"From the existing data, it appears that the extension of Sorafenib demonstrated increased survival rates. Comparison between research in Asia Pacific with the results of international trials in the U.S. Sharp showed similar success rates, although patients in the Asia Pacific region has more concerning health status and more metastases, "said Dr.. Hady Sharif, Head of Bayer Schering Pharma Care Specialty Indonesia.
Sorafenib is an oral therapy targeting tumor cells and tumor bleeding the system to be consumed in the long run. In addition to treating advanced stage liver cancer, the drug is also used to treat advanced kidney cancer. Sorafenib has been approved in more than 40 countries for the treatment for patients with liver cancer that can not be operated on and in over 70 countries for the treatment for patients with advanced kidney cancer.
Sorafenib works by targeting tumor cells and tumor bleeding the system. In a preclinical trial, Sorafenib proved able to inhibit the two types of kinases that is profilerasi cells and angiogenesis (blood vessel formation) in which both played a major role in the process of cancer growth. This process is also important for normal cells, so that the target of Sorafenib therapy can also affect some normal cells.
According to Prof. Ali, although quite safe to use. Sorafenib still have side effects for its users. Eefek side that may arise include diarrhea, pain, burning, and numbness. "When some of the symptoms appear, doctors usually will adjust the dose and stop the treatment for temporarily," he said.
In November 2007, Sorafenib has been approved by the U.S. Food Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of liver cancer patients with inoperable and has recently also been approved in over 40 countries. While in Indonesia, Sorafenib has been approved POM RI in April 2008 for the treatment of patients with advanced stage liver cancer that can not be operated on (HCC).
Advanced stage liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) according to Prof. Ali is now included in the 6 large the most frequent cause of cancer death in Indonesia. The number of sufferers is usually aligned with the number of hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C, two groups at highest risk. Most patients are diagnosed with this cancer early symptoms are usually not known and come to the doctor already in an advanced stage.
In the early stages, liver cancer can be treated by surgery to remove cancerous tissue. In addition, liver cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. But at an advanced stage, patients can not slimming action because cancer cells have spread.
"That comes to a general hospital it is too late. About 80 percent of patients with inoperable again, the usual treatment may be only about 30-40 percent," he said.
