ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the efficacy of antiangiogenesis, mechanism and timing of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with sorafenib in treatment of liver cancer in new Zealand rabbits with VX2 liver cancer model. Methods: Thirty New Zealand rabbits with VX2 liver cancer were randomly divided into normal saline control group, single TACE group, single sorafenib group, pre-TACE + sorafenib group and post-TACE + sorafenib group (n=6 in each). Serum VEGF was measured by ELISA 7 days before TACE, 1 day before TACE, 3 days after TACE, 7 days after TACE, and 14 days after TACE. All the rabbits were sacrificed 14 days after operation for MVD immunohistochemical staining, and the tumor growth rate of each group was compared. Results: Compared with that in normal saline control group, serum VEGF in TACE + sorafenib group, TACE + sorafenib group and TACE + sorafenib group increased significantly (P<0.05), but the peak value of VEGF in TACE + sorafenib group was lower than that in TACE group and TACE + sorafenib group(P<0.05). Fourteen days after TACE, the VEGF level in the group + sorafenib was the lowest and that in the group of one drug alone was the highest (P<0.05). In 14 days after TACE + sorafenib group, MVD value was higher than that in saline control group and sorafenib group, but significantly lower than that of single TACE group(P<0.05). The 14 days after TACE + sorafenib group had the smallest tumor growth(P<0.05). Conclusion: TACE combined with sorafenib can significantly inhibit the growth of VX2 liver cancer in rabbits. The effect of TACE combined with sorafenib is better than that of TACE alone or sorafenib alone. However, after TACE the level of VEGF is increased and the level of serum VEGF is decreased by combining sorafenib, which decreases the microvessel density. Moreover, the effect of TACE combined with sorafenib on anti-tumor and anti-angiogenesis is better than that after TACE.
ABSTRACT
[ Objective] To explore the variation features of contrast enhanced ultrasound ( CEUS) quantitative parameters and its correlation with tumor microvessel density ( MVD ) , after the treatment of living liver cancer using high intensity focused ultrasound ( HIFU ) . [ Methods ] A group of 30 New Zealand white rabbits were made into VX2 liver cancer models, that were randomly divided into control group ( n =15, not HIFU treatment) and treatment group ( n =15, HIFU treatment).CEUS was performed, then obtaining ascending slope(AS),arrival time(AT),time-to-peak(TTP),peak intensity ( PI) ,area under curve ( AUC ) .And correlation analysis was performed with MVD obtained by immune histochemical method. [ Results ] Compared with those in the control group, AS, PI, AUC were significantly decreased in treatment group (P <0.05) and so was MVD (P <0.05).AT,TTP were significantly delayed than those in the control group (P<0.05).The AS, PI, AUC of CEUS quantitative parameters were positively correlated with MVD (P<0.05).The AT, TTP respectively showed a negative correlation with MVD ( P<0.05) . [ Conclusion] CEUS quantitative parameters of liver cancer tissue have high correlation with MVD.It can reflect the microvessel structure change of the liver cancer tissue and help to judge the curative effect and prognosis of HIFU for liver cancer.