Sorafenib: is a partial response and stabilization of disease greater than 70% a modest response?

Extract: Dear Editors, I read with great interest the recently published meta-analysis on sorafenib use in patients with radioiodine refractory thyroid cancer (Shen et al. 2013). In this study, 7 investigations were analyzed and pooled results showed than more than 70% of patients achieved a partial response (PR) or stabilization of disease (SD) with a median progression free survival of one year. Also, the authors showed than around 80% of patients presented side effects when all grades adverse events (AE) were considered. The authors concluded that sorafenib showed only a modest effect in patients with advanced thyroid cancer. I wonder if 70% of PR plus SD would be considered as a modest response to treatment in patients with advanced progressive disease with few other therapeutic options available at this moment.