Hyperkalemia in a Patient with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Probably Due to Sorafenib: Case Report

Sorafenib is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor used in the treatment of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Its common adverse reactions include diarrhea, hand-foot syndrome, rash, cardiac ischemia or infarction, hypertension, elevated serum lipase and hypophosphatemia. A 35-year-old male patient with unresectable HCC was treated with sorafenib for progressive disease after locoregional chemoembolization. In the second month of the sorafenib treatment, he was admitted to the emergency department with weakness and drowsiness. His serum potassium level was 8.3 mmol/ L (3.5-5.5 mmol/L) which was accompanied with mild elevations in liver enzymes. Sorafenib treatment was stopped and emergency hemodialysis was applied. His potassium level reduced to normal levels and was stabilized.