Sorafenib or anthracycline-based chemotherapy for progressive desmoid tumors

Desmoid tumors can cause morbidity due to local invasion, potentially being fatal when fast growth compromises vital structures. In this context, a timely treatment response is required. This study aims to compare the activity of sorafenib and anthracycline-containing regimens during the first year of treatment.

The authors conducted a multi-institutional retrospective analysis of desmoid tumor patients treated with either sorafenib or an anthracycline-containing regimen over 1 year. The primary end point was the overall response rate (ORR). The secondary end points were time to response (TTR), progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse events.

From 2005 to 2022, 80 patients received sorafenib and 51 received an anthracycline-containing regimen with similar baseline characteristics. The 1-year ORR was 37% for anthracycline and 13% for sorafenib (p = .016). Median best response was -9% (range, -73 to 51) for anthracycline and -4% (range, -69 to 126) for sorafenib. Median TTR was 5.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.4-7.8) for anthracycline and 8.7 months (95% CI, 6.3-11.1) for sorafenib (p = .2). One-year PFS was 73% (95% CI, 60-86) for anthracycline and 59% (95% CI, 47-71) for sorafenib (p = .3). Common grade 1-2 adverse events for sorafenib were hand-foot syndrome (40%), diarrhea (25%), and fatigue (22%); for anthracycline, they were nausea (31%), fatigue (16%), and rash (14%). Grade 3 events were higher in the anthracycline group, 27% versus 14% (p < .05).

Anthracycline-based therapy provided a greater 1-year response rate than sorafenib but was associated with a higher rate of serious adverse events. Higher-risk desmoid tumors, which need a more timely response, might benefit from anthracycline-based therapies, whereas average-risk tumors could benefit from sorafenib.