Cabozantinib as a second-line treatment option in hepatocellular carcinoma

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent tumors affecting the gastrointestinal tract and a universal cause of morbidity and mortality. Cabozantinib is a strong multi-inhibitor of receptor tyrosine kinases approved for renal cell carcinoma that could be useful also for the treatment of HCC. Areas covered: This review describes the chemical structure, the pharmacologic properties and current knowledge of the efficacy of cabozantinib in the treatment of HCC based on data available from first phase and later phase clinical trials. The ongoing studies testing cabozantinib, either alone or in combination with other drugs, are also described. Expert opinion: Despite the recent achievements in the use of cabozantinib for patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, data are still needed to allow clinicians to make better decisions on how to treat specific patient subgroups.