Real-world efficacy and safety of TACE plus camrelizumab and apatinib in patients with HCC (CHANCE2211): a propensity score matching study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus camrelizumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting programmed death-1, and apatinib for patients with intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a real-world setting. METHODS: A total of 586 HCC patients treated with either TACE plus camrelizumab and apatinib (combination group, n = 107) or TACE monotherapy (monotherapy group, n = 479) were included retrospectively. Propensity score matching analysis was used to match patients. The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and safety in the combination group were described in comparison to monotherapy. RESULTS: After propensity score matching (1:2), 84 patients in the combination group were matched to 147 patients in the monotherapy group. The median age was 57 years and 71/84 (84.5%) patients were male in the combination group, while the median age was 57 years with 127/147 (86.4%) male in the monotherapy group. The median OS, PFS, and ORR in the combination group were significantly higher than those in the monotherapy group (median OS, 24.1 vs. 15.7 months, p = 0.008; median PFS, 13.5 vs. 7.7 months, p = 0.003; ORR, 59.5% [50/84] vs. 37.4% [55/147], p = 0.002). On multivariable Cox regression, combination therapy was associated with significantly better OS (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26-0.64; p < 0.001) and PFS (adjusted HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.37-0.74; p < 0.001). Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurred in 14/84 (16.7%) and 12/147 (8.2%) in the combination and monotherapy groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: TACE plus camrelizumab and apatinib showed significantly better OS, PFS, and ORR versus TACE monotherapy for predominantly advanced HCC. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Compared with TACE monotherapy, TACE plus immunotherapy and molecular targeted therapy showed better clinical efficacy for predominantly advanced HCC patients, with a higher incidence of adverse events. KEY POINTS: • This propensity score-matched study demonstrates that TACE plus immunotherapy and molecular targeted therapy have a longer OS, PFS, and ORR compared with TACE monotherapy in HCC. • Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurred in 14/84 (16.7%) patients treated with TACE plus immunotherapy and molecular targeted therapy compared with 12/147 (8.2%) patients in the monotherapy group, while no grade 5 adverse events were observed in all cohorts.

Layered Double Hydroxide-Based Micro "Chemical Factory" with Arsenic Processing and Screening Functions on Nitinol for Gallbladder Cancer Treatment.

Gallbladder cancer is a common malignant tumor of the biliary system with a high fatality rate. Nitinol (Ni-Ti) stents, a standard treatment for prolonging patients' lives, are susceptible to reocclusion and cannot inhibit tumor recurrence because they lack antitumor and antibacterial activity. Herein, an arsenic-loaded layered double-hydroxide film is constructed on Ni-Ti, forming a micro "chemical factory." The LDH plays the role of a "processer" which absorbs highly toxic trivalent arsenic (As(III)) and processes it into lowly toxic pentavalent arsenic (As(V)). It also acts as a "quality-inspector," confining As(III) in the interlayer and releasing only As(V) (the finished product) to the outside. This control mechanism minimizes the toxicity during contact with normal tissue. The acidic microenvironment and overexpression of glutathione in tumor tissues not only accelerates the release of arsenic from the platform but also triggers the in situ transformation of arsenic from lowly toxic As(V) to highly toxic As(III), exerting a strong arsenic-mediated antineoplastic effect. Such a microenvironment-responsive "chemical factory" with arsenic processing and screening functions is expected to prevent tumor overgrowth, metastasis, and bacterial infection and provide new insights into the design of Ni-Ti drug-eluting stents for gallbladder cancer treatment.

SKA1 overexpression is associated with poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: SKA1, an important mitosis protein, has been indicated in the initiation and progression of several malignancies. However, its clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain to be elucidated. METHODS: mRNA expression of SKA1 was examined in 126 HCC and paired non-neoplastic tissues using real-time PCR and validated in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. SKA1 protein expression was detected using immunohistochemistry in the 126 HCC tissues and its associations with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis were analyzed. Hierarchical cluster analysis and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed in selected Gene Expression Omnibus data sets. RESULTS: SKA1 mRNA expression was significantly elevated in HCC tissues from both local hospital and TCGA database. Immunohistochemistry revealed that increased SKA1 expression was present in 65 of the 126 cases and was significantly associated with higher serum alpha-fetoprotein concentration, larger tumor size and higher TNM stage. Patients with positive SKA1 expression showed significantly worse overall and relapse-free survival. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that SKA1 was an independent predictor of patient prognosis. Gene expression profiling analysis of public data showed that high-SKA1 expression HCC tissues had similar gene expression profiles with fetal liver tissues. Moreover, GSEA showed that genes up-regulated in high SKA1 HCC subgroup were significantly enriched in cell cycle pathway, while genes down-regulated were significantly enriched in apoptosis pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the oncofetal gene SKA1 might be involved in the progression of the HCC and could serve as a prognostic marker for HCC.

Loss of FOXF2 Expression Predicts Poor Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients.

BACKGROUND: FOXF2 is a member of the forkhead box (FOX) family of transcription factors. FOXF2 plays an important role in several tumors but its expression and role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. METHODS: Using immunohistochemistry, western blot, and real-time polymerase chain reaction, we analyzed FOXF2 expression in 295 clinicopathologically characterized HCC cases. Using RNA interference (RNAi), we investigated the effects of FOXF2 depletion on tumor cell behavior in vitro. Statistical analyses were used to determine associations between FOXF2 levels, tumor features, and patient outcomes. RESULTS: FOXF2 downregulation was observed in HCC tissues (p < 0.001) compared with peritumorous tissues, and its expression levels were closely correlated with overall survival and recurrence-free survival (p = 0.023 and 0.006, respectively) in patients with HCC. RNAi-mediated silencing of the FOXF2 gene in the MHCC-97H cell line significantly promoted proliferation and anti-apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study indicate that FOXF2 may serve as a prognostic biomarker for HCC and may be a promising target in the treatment of patients with HCC.

MK2206 overcomes the resistance of human liver cancer stem cells to sorafenib by inhibition of pAkt and upregulation of pERK.

Sorafenib is a multikinase inhibitor for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, most patients who initially respond to sorafenib become refractory. In a previous study, we demonstrated that sphere-forming cells derived from liver cancer cell lines possess the properties of liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs). In the present study, we found that successive passages of LCSCs were more resistant to sorafenib, and LCSCs treated with sorafenib showed an increase in spheroid formation with a lower inhibition rate. MK2206, but not various other inhibitors of cell signaling pathways, enhanced their sensitivity to sorafenib, increased the apoptotic rate, and suppressed the growth of LCSC xenografts in vivo (P < 0.01); sorafenib treatment decreased the level of active phosphorylated (p)Akt (Thr308) and reduced the levels of active pAkt (Ser473) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in LCSCs, whereas MK2206 reduced pAkt expression and increased pERK expression. Cotreatment with sorafenib and MK2206 reduced pAkt and pERK expression in LCSCs and xenografted tumors (P < 0.01). Treatment with either sorafenib or MK2206 decreased the expression of EpCAM and CD133 in LCSCs, which was more evident after combined treatment. Based on these results, we conclude that resistance to sorafenib is associated with weak ERK signaling and strong Akt signaling in LCSCs. By inhibition of Akt and upregulation of ERK, MK2206 overcomes the resistance of LCSCs to sorafenib.

Selective Tumor Inhibition Effect of Drug-Free Layered Double Hydroxide-Based Films via Responding to Acidic Microenvironment.

Nickel-titanium alloy stents are widely used in the interventional treatment of various malignant tumors, and it is important to develop nickel-titanium alloy stents with selective cancer-inhibiting and antibacterial functions to avoid malignant obstruction caused by tumor invasion and bacterial colonization. In this work, an acid-responsive layered double hydroxide (LDH) film was constructed on the surface of a nickel-titanium alloy by hydrothermal treatment. The release of nickel ions from the film in the acidic tumor microenvironment induces an intracellular oxidative stress response that leads to cell death. In addition, the specific surface area of LDH nanosheets could be further regulated by heat treatment to modulate the release of nickel ions in the acidic microenvironment, allowing the antitumor effect to be further enhanced. This acid-responsive LDH film also shows a good antibacterial effect against S. aureus and E. coli. Besides, the LDH film prepared without the introduction of additional elements maintains low toxicity to normal cells in a normal physiological environment. This work offers some guidance for the design of a practical nickel-titanium alloy stent for the interventional treatment of tumors.

NIR-triggered arsenic-loaded layered double hydroxide-based films for localized thermal synergistic chemotherapy.

Portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) formed by cancer cell invasion is a major cause of high mortality in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the formation of thrombus will be accelerated by bacterial colonization on the surface of the implant after surgery. In this work, Polypyrrole-coated arsenic-loaded layered double hydroxide films were in situ constructed on the nickel-titanium alloy for the efficient killing of tumour cells by thermo-therapeutic synergistic chemotherapy. The good near-infrared photothermal conversion ability of polypyrrole enables the sample surface temperature to be raised to about 51 °C at a low photothermal power (0.5 w/cm2), while the elevated temperature could further accelerate the release of drug arsenic. In addition, when NIR light is not applied, the polypyrrole coating also cleverly acts as a "barrier layer" to reduce the natural release of arsenic in normal tissues to avoid toxicity issues. In vivo and in vitro experiments have demonstrated that the platform exhibits excellent antitumor and antibacterial abilities. In contrast to the systemic toxicity issues associated with systemic circulation of nanotherapeutic drugs, this in situ functional film is expected to be used in localised interventions for precise drug delivery, and is also more suitable for surgical treatment scenarios in PVTT surgeries.

Fusible and Radiopaque Microspheres for Embolization.

In this work, fusible microspheres loaded with radiopaque agents as an embolic agent for transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) are developed. A poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) multi-block copolymer basing polyurethane (PCEU) is synthesized and fabricated into blank microspheres (BMs). The microspheres are elastic in compression test. A clinical contrast agent lipiodol is encapsulated in the microspheres to receive fusible radiopaque microspheres (FRMs). The sizes of FRMs are uniform and range from 142.2 to 343.1 µm. The encapsulated lipiodol acts as the plasticizer to reduce the melting temperature point (Tm) of PECU microspheres, thus, leading to the fusion of microspheres to exhibit efficient embolization in vivo. The performance of FRMs is carried out on a rabbit ear embolization model. Serious ischemic necrosis is observed and the radiopacity of FRMs sustains much longer time than that of commercial contrast agent Loversol in vivo. The fusible and radiopaque microsphere is promising to be developed as an exciting embolic agent.

Radiation-Emitting metallic stent for unresectable bismuth type III or IV perihilar cholangiocarcinoma: a multicenter randomized trial.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Self-expandable metallic stents (SEMSs) have been recommended for patients with unresectable malignant biliary obstruction while radiation-emitting metallic stents (REMSs) loaded with 125I seeds have recently been approved to provide longer patency and overall survival in malignant biliary tract obstruction. This trial is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of REMS plus hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (REMS-HAIC) versus SEMS plus HAIC (SEMS-HAIC) for unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA). METHODS: This multicenter randomized controlled trial recruited patients with unresectable Bismuth type III or IV pCCA between March 2021 and January 2023. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1 ratio) to receive either REMS-HAIC or SEMS-HAIC using permuted block randomization, with a block size of six. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoints were time to symptomatic progression (TTSP), stent patency, relief of jaundice, quality of life, and safety. RESULTS: A total of 126 patients were included in the intent-to-treat population, with 63 in each group. The median OS was 10.2 months versus 6.7 months (P=0.002). The median TTSP was 8.6 months versus 5.4 months (P=0.003). The median stent patency was longer in the REMS-HAIC group than in the SEMS-HAIC group (P=0.001). The REMS-HAIC group showed better improvement in physical functioning scale (P<0.05) and fatigue symptoms (P<0.05) when compared to the SEMS-HAIC group. No significant differences were observed in relief of jaundice (85.7% vs. 84.1%; P=0.803) or the incidence of grade 3 or 4 adverse events (9.8% vs. 11.9%; P=0.721). CONCLUSION: REMS plus HAIC showed better OS, TTSP, and stent patency compared with SEMS plus HAIC in patients with unresectable Bismuth type III or IV pCCA with an acceptable safety profile.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antibody/tyrosine kinase inhibitors with or without transarterial chemoembolization as first-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (CHANCE2201): a target trial emulation study.

Background: The role of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unconfirmed. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) plus anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) antibody/tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) with or without TACE as first-line treatment for advanced HCC. Methods: This nationwide, multicenter, retrospective cohort study included advanced HCC patients receiving either TACE with ICIs plus anti-VEGF antibody/TKIs (TACE-ICI-VEGF) or only ICIs plus anti-VEGF antibody/TKIs (ICI-VEGF) from January 2018 to December 2022. The study design followed the target trial emulation framework with stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (sIPTW) to minimize biases. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Secondary outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and safety. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05332821. Findings: Among 1244 patients included in the analysis, 802 (64.5%) patients received TACE-ICI-VEGF treatment, and 442 (35.5%) patients received ICI-VEGF treatment. The median follow-up time was 21.1 months and 20.6 months, respectively. Post-application of sIPTW, baseline characteristics were well-balanced between the two groups. TACE-ICI-VEGF group exhibited a significantly improved median OS (22.6 months [95% CI: 21.2-23.9] vs 15.9 months [14.9-17.8]; P < 0.0001; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.63 [95% CI: 0.53-0.75]). Median PFS was also longer in TACE-ICI-VEGF group (9.9 months [9.1-10.6] vs 7.4 months [6.7-8.5]; P < 0.0001; aHR 0.74 [0.65-0.85]) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) version 1.1. A higher ORR was observed in TACE-ICI-VEGF group, by either RECIST v1.1 or modified RECIST (41.2% vs 22.9%, P < 0.0001; 47.3% vs 29.7%, P < 0.0001). Grade ≥3 adverse events occurred in 178 patients (22.2%) in TACE-ICI-VEGF group and 80 patients (18.1%) in ICI-VEGF group. Interpretation: This multicenter study supports the use of TACE combined with ICIs and anti-VEGF antibody/TKIs as first-line treatment for advanced HCC, demonstrating an acceptable safety profile. Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Key Research and Development Program of China, Jiangsu Provincial Medical Innovation Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, and Nanjing Life Health Science and Technology Project.

Portal vein embolization for closure of marked arterioportal shunt of hepatocellular carcinoma to enable radioembolization: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Marked arterioportal shunt (APS) can be a contraindication for transarterial radioembolization (TARE) because of the risk of radiation-induced liver toxicity or pneumonitis. To date, the best method to close marked APS to reduce intrahepatic shunt (IHS) and hepatopulmonary shunt (HPS) before TARE has not been elucidated. CASE SUMMARY: This case report describes a novel strategy of embolization of the portal venous outlet to reduce IHS and HPS caused by marked APS before TARE in a patient with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The patient had a significant intratumoral shunt from the tumor artery to the portal vein and had already been suspected based on pre-interventional magnetic resonance angiography, and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) confirmed the shunt. Selective right portal vein embolization (PVE) was performed to close the APS outlet and DSA confirmed complete closure. Technetium-99m macroaggregated albumin was administered and single photon emission computed tomography revealed a low HPS with 8.4%. Successful TARE was subsequently performed. No major procedure-related complication occurred. CONCLUSION: Closure of APS with PVE during mapping angiography of advanced-stage HCC to enable reduction of HPS and subsequent TARE is feasible.

Optimal interventional treatment for liver cancer: HAIC, TACE or iTACE?

Primary liver cancer is a common and lethal malignancy in China. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is globally recognized as the preferred treatment modality for the non-surgical resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), while transcatheter arterial infusion (TAI) is another effective interventional treatment for HCC. In recent years, hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) has gained increasing attention as an application-regulated modality for TAI. Owing to the current debate in the medical community regarding the use of HAIC and TACE for the treatment of HCC, the application of both approaches should be considered at a higher level, with a broader perspective and a more normative aspect. Accordingly, we aimed to define the rational combination of liver cancer TAI/HAIC with TACE as infusion transcatheter chemoembolization (iTACE), which suggests that the two interventions are not superior but lead to a mutually beneficial situation. In this review, we sought to discuss the development, specification, application, challenge and innovation, debate, and union of TAI/HAIC and TACE, and the clinical application and latest research on iTACE. We aimed to introduce new concepts of iTACE and expect new breakthroughs in the treatment of liver cancer owing to the combined use of the two major interventional tools.

Microenvironment-responsive electrocution of tumor and bacteria by implants modified with degenerate semiconductor film.

Implantable biomaterials are widely used in the curative resection and palliative treatment of various types of cancers. However, cancer residue around the implants usually leads to treatment failure with cancer reoccurrence. Postoperation chemotherapy and radiation therapy are widely applied to clear the residual cancer cells but induce serious side effects. It is urgent to develop advanced therapy to minimize systemic toxicity while maintaining efficient cancer-killing ability. Herein, we report a degenerate layered double hydroxide (LDH) film modified implant, which realizes microenvironment-responsive electrotherapy. The film can gradually transform into a nondegenerate state and release holes. When in contact with tumor cells or bacteria, the film quickly transforms into a nondegenerate state and releases holes at a high rate, rendering the "electrocution" of tumor cells and bacteria. However, when placed in normal tissue, the hole release rate of the film is much slower, thus, causing little harm to normal cells. Therefore, the constructed film can intelligently identify and meet the physiological requirements promptly. In addition, the transformation between degenerate and nondegenerate states of LDH films can be cycled by electrical charging, so their selective and dynamic physiological functions can be artificially adjusted according to demand.

Transarterial chemoembolization with PD-(L)1 inhibitors plus molecular targeted therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (CHANCE001).

There is considerable potential for integrating transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), programmed death-(ligand)1 (PD-[L]1) inhibitors, and molecular targeted treatments (MTT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is necessary to investigate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of TACE combined with PD-(L)1 inhibitors and MTT in real-world situations. In this nationwide, retrospective, cohort study, 826 HCC patients receiving either TACE plus PD-(L)1 blockades and MTT (combination group, n = 376) or TACE monotherapy (monotherapy group, n = 450) were included from January 2018 to May 2021. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) according to modified RECIST. The secondary outcomes included overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and safety. We performed propensity score matching approaches to reduce bias between two groups. After matching, 228 pairs were included with a predominantly advanced disease population. Median PFS in combination group was 9.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.4-11.0) versus 8.0 months (95% CI, 6.6-9.5) (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.70, P = 0.002). OS and ORR were also significantly higher in combination group (median OS, 19.2 [16.1-27.3] vs. 15.7 months [13.0-20.2]; adjusted HR, 0.63, P = 0.001; ORR, 60.1% vs. 32.0%; P < 0.001). Grade 3/4 adverse events were observed at a rate of 15.8% and 7.5% in combination and monotherapy groups, respectively. Our results suggest that TACE plus PD-(L)1 blockades and MTT could significantly improve PFS, OS, and ORR versus TACE monotherapy for Chinese patients with predominantly advanced HCC in real-world practice, with an acceptable safety profile.

Hepatic artery injection of ¹³¹I-labelled metuximab combined with chemoembolization for intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma: a prospective nonrandomized study.

PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth and seventh most common cause of cancer in men and women, respectively. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the standardized therapy for the intermediate stage of HCC. However, the 3-year overall survival remains low (<30 %) in these patients. Thus, there is a critical need for the development of treatment modalities to improve the survival rate. This study aimed to evaluate whether the combination of (131)I-metuximab with chemoembolization could improve treatment efficiency. METHODS: Between January 2009 and January 2010, a prospective two-arm nonrandomized study was performed in patients with intermediate HCC. Of 138 patients, 68 (combination therapy group) received 132 courses of intraarterial (131)I-metuximab injections combined with chemoembolization (mean 1.94 per patient, median 2, range 1-2), followed by 152 sessions of TACE (mean 2.24 per patient, median 2, range 0-4). The remaining 70 patients (monotherapy group) received 296 sessions of TACE (mean 4.23 per patient, median 4, range 1-7). RESULTS: The overall median survival times for the combination therapy group and the group treated only with TACE were 26.7 months (95 % CI 20.7-31.3 months) and 20.6 months (95 % CI 15.3-24.7 months), respectively. The combination therapy group had a significantly higher survival rate than the TACE-only group (P = 0.038). Age ≥65 years, serum albumin ≤35 g/l, and treatment category (combination therapy or TACE only) were independent prognostic factors for survival according to multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: The combination of (131)I-metuximab and chemoembolization extended survival in patients with intermediate HCC compared with TACE only, and was well tolerated by patients with Child-Pugh class A or B disease. This combination seems to be a promising treatment modality for patients with intermediate HCC.

A functional polymorphism in PER3 gene is associated with prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have revealed that circadian genes play important roles in cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle control, DNA damage response and treatment response of chemotherapy agents in cancers. AIMS: We hypothesized that the polymorphisms in circadian genes may be associated with prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). METHODS: Twelve functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in circadian negative feedback regulation genes (including CRY1, CRY2, PER1, PER2 and PER3) were genotyped using Sequenom iPLEX genotyping method in 337 HCC patients treated with TACE and analysed for associations with overall survival. RESULTS: Our data showed that one SNP rs2640908 in PER3 gene was significantly associated with overall survival of HCC patients (P = 0.027). Patients carrying at least one variant allele of rs2640908 (WV + VV) had a significantly decreased risk of death (hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.53-0.90), when compared with those carrying homozygous wild-type alleles (WW). Kaplan-Meier analyses showed a significantly longer median survival time in patients with WV + VV genotypes of SNP rs2640908 than those with WW genotype (11.6 months vs. 8.1 months; log rank P = 0.030). In addition, we also observed a significant difference on the genotype distribution of SNP rs2640908 in patients with and without portal vein thrombus (P = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides the first evidence that a single functional polymorphism of PER3 gene is significantly associated with overall survival in HCC patients treated with TACE.

Feasibility and Safety of Delayed Catheter Removal Technique in Percutaneous Trans-Hepatic Portal Vein Embolization.

Background: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the technical feasibility and safety of the delayed catheter removal technique in trans-hepatic portal vein embolization (PVE) and to explore a suitable technique. Methods: This was a retrospective study. In 278 consecutive patients, the puncture tract of the trans-hepatic PVE was treated using the delayed catheter removal technique after PVE. The existence of peripheral hepatic hematoma formation was assessed using ultrasound (US). Follow-up examinations such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and/or US were performed to evaluate perihepatic hematoma formation, hemoperitoneum, and other major complications. Results: Instant hemostasis was achieved in all patients after the procedure. PVE-associated complications were observed in 9 patients (3.24%). No perihepatic hematoma or hemoperitoneum was found in any of the patients. Conclusion: With the appropriate technique, the delayed catheter removal technique can be reliably utilized as a substitute for hemostasis as it is simple and free. This technique should be further evaluated and compared with other methods. Advances in knowledge: This study is the first to investigate the safety and feasibility of the delayed catheter removal technique for embolizing the puncture tract of the trans-hepatic PVE.

BAP31 Promotes Proliferation, Invasion, and Metastasis of Liver Cancer Cells via Activating PI3K/AKT Pathway.

Background: Many breakthroughs have been made in the clinical treatment of liver cancer, but there are still many liver cancer patients with limited treatment methods. Therefore, it is very important to find targets for early diagnosis and specific treatment of liver cancer. Methods: During the operation, 32 pairs of tumor tissues and corresponding normal liver tissues were acquired from patients. The mRNA expression was measured by qPCR. The protein expression was evaluated via Western blot. Flow cytometry assay was performed to measure the cells apoptosis. CCK-8 assay was performed to detect cell proliferation. Transwell chamber assay was applied to detect migration and invasion of SNU-449 cells. Results: BAP31 was upregulated in liver cancer tissues and cells. Knockdown of BAP31 repressed cell proliferation and enhanced cell apoptosis of liver cancer. Knockdown of BAP31 apparently upregulated apoptosis-related proteins (Bax and Caspase-3), while it downregulated antiapoptotic proteins (Bcl-2). Knockdown of BAP31 repressed migration and invasion of SNU-449 cells. In contrast with the control and si-NC group, protein expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was obviously lower after si-BAP31 transfection of cells. Knockdown of BAP31 repressed PI3K/AKT signaling pathways in liver cancer cells. Conclusion: Knockdown of BAP31 repressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in liver cancer by suppressing PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways.

Conversion Therapy of Large Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma With Ipsilateral Portal Vein Tumor Thrombus Using Portal Vein Embolization Plus Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization.

Background: The study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of conversion therapy with portal vein embolization (PVE) and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with large unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and ipsilateral portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT). Methods: This retrospective study evaluated consecutive patients with initially large (≥5 cm) unresectable HCC with ipsilateral PVTT who underwent PVE + TACE at our center between June 2016 and September 2020 (Group A). Clinically equivalent patients from three centers who were receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) + TACE (Group B) were included. The survival times were evaluated and compared between the two therapeutic groups. Results: In Group A (n = 33), the median tumor diameter was 14 cm (range, 5-18 cm) and 19 (57.6%) patients underwent radical resection 18-95 days after PVE. Radical liver resection was not performed because of inadequate hypertrophy (n = 11), pulmonary metastasis (n = 1), lack of consent for surgery (n = 1), and the rupture of the HCC (n = 1). There were no patients who underwent radical resection in Group B (n = 64) (P = 0.000). The mean and median overall survival (OS) were 736.5 days and 425.0 days in Group A and 424.5 days and 344.0 days in Group B, respectively. Compared with TKIs + TACE, treatment with PVE + TACE prolonged OS (P = 0.023). Conclusions: This study shows that conversion therapy was safe and effective in patients with initially large unresectable HCC with ipsilateral PVTT treated with PVE + TACE. Moreover, PVE + TACE conferred more favorable outcomes than treatment with TKIs + TACE.