Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization enhances expression of Nm23-H1 and TIMP-2 in the tumor tissue of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the effects of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) on expression of nm23-H1 and TIMP-2 in the tumor tissue and prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODOLOGY: Seventy-two patients with resectable HCC were randomized into two equal groups with 36 patients in each TACE before surgical resection of HCC (Group A) and direct surgical resection of HCC (Group B). All samples were subjected to pathological examination and immunohistochemical staining using nm23-H1 and TIMP-2 antibodies. Expression level and distribution of nm23-H1 and TIMP-2 in tumor and adjacent tissue were assessed. Extrahepatic metastasis and survival time of patients in both groups were evaluated through 36 months follow-up. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the tumor tissues from patients in Group A had a higher positive expression of nm23-H1 than Group B (chi2=15.52, p<0.01). Group A also showed a higher positive expression of TIMP-2 than Group B (chi2=9.00, p<0.05). Patients in Group A had a longer mean survival time (36 vs. 28 months in Groups A and B, respectively) and higher survival rate (chi2=5.734, p=0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative TACE enhances the expression of metastasis suppressors nm23-H1 and TIMP-2, and may potentially inhibit metastasis of HCC and increase the survival time of patients with the resectable HCC.