Expression of angiogenic factors in hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization

Abstract

In order to investigate the changes of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) expression in residual hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), the expression levels of VEGF and bFGF expression in specimens surgically removed from 48 HCC patients were detected by immunohistochemical methods, and staining intensity of VEGF and bFGF was assessed by a computer-assisted image-analyzer. Among the 48 patients, 25 underwent partial hepatectomy alone (single operating group), and 23 were subjected to second stage surgical resection after TACE (TACE group). The results showed that the average absorbance value (A) of VEGF was higher in TACE group than that in single operating group (0.152±0.021 vs 0.131±0.012,P<0.01). The Average A of bFGF in TACE group was 0.127±0.023, higher than in single operating group (0.111±0.016,P<0.05). These results suggested that TACE of HCC can up-regulate the expression of VEGF and bFGF in HCC tissues possibly due to anoxia and ischemia.

Keywords

hepatocellular carcinoma / chemoembolization / vascular endothelial growth factor / basic fibroblast growth factor

References

[1] YiJ L, LiaoX F, YangZ F, et al.. A study on the changes of microvessel density in hepatocellular carcinoma treated by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization. J Tongji Med Univ, 2001, 21: 321-321

[2] LiouT C, ShihS C, KaoC R, et al.. Pulmonary metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with transarterial chemoembolization. J Hepatol, 1995, 23: 563-563

[3] SeoY, BabaH, FukudaT, et al.. High expression of vascular endothelial growth factor is associated with liver metastasis and a poor prognosis for patients with ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Cancer, 2000, 88: 2239-2239

[4] JinnoK, TanimizuM, HyodoI, et al.. Circulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a possible tumor marker for metastasis in human hepatocellular carcinoma. J Gastroenterol, 1998, 33: 376-376

[5] LiX M, TangZ Y, QinL X, et al.. Serum vascular endothelial growth factor is a predictor of invasion and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Exp Clin Cancer Res, 1999, 18: 511-511

[6] ZhouJ, TangZ Y, FanJ, et al.. Expression of platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor in hepatocellular carcinoma and portal vein tumor thrombus. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol, 2000, 126: 57-57

[7] YoshijiH, KuriyamaS, YoshiiJ, et al.. Synergistic effect of basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor in murine hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatology, 2002, 35: 834-834

[8] KimK W, BaeS K, LeeOH, et al.. Insulin-like growth factor II induced by hypoxia may contribute to angiogenesis of human hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Res, 1998, 58: 348-348

[9] SongBC, ChungY H, KimJ A, et al.. Association between insulin-like growth factor-2 and metastases after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a prospective study. Cancer, 2001, 91: 2386-2386