PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - GODIN, CORINNE
AU  - DUPONT, SEBASTIEN
AU  - EZZOUKHRY, ZAKARIA
AU  - LOUANDRE, CHRISTOPHE
AU  - CHATELAIN, DENIS
AU  - HENAUT, LUCIE
AU  - SABBAGH, CHARLES
AU  - REGIMBEAU, JEAN-MARC
AU  - MAZIERE, JEAN-CLAUDE
AU  - BARBARE, JEAN-CLAUDE
AU  - CHAUFFERT, BRUNO
AU  - GALMICHE, ANTOINE
TI  - Heterogeneous Sensitivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma to Sorafenib Revealed by the Short-term Culture of Tumor Fragments
DP  - 2013 Apr 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 1415--1420
VI  - 33
IP  - 4
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/33/4/1415.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/33/4/1415.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2013 Apr 01; 33
AB  - Background/Aim: Sorafenib is currently the only medical treatment with proven efficacy against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC cell lines display heterogeneous sensitivity to sorafenib, but little is known about the sensitivity of clinical tumors. We aimed to examine this aspect. Materials and Methods: Using experimental tumors generated in nude mice, we set up a technique for short-term culture of HCC fragments. We applied this technique to six human HCC samples obtained from surgical resection. Results: HCC fragments in culture retain their morphology and viability for at least 48 h, permitting an in vitro analysis of the effect of sorafenib on the Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) cascade. HCC exhibit heterogeneous individual responses, ranging from potent inhibition to paradoxical activation of this oncogenic cascade. Conclusion: Our observations highlight the heterogeneous sensitivity of HCC to sorafenib, and point to the potential interest of short-term culture of tumor fragments for personalizing the medical treatment of HCC.