Endostatin inhibits angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma after transarterial chemoembolization

This study aims to investigate the influence of endostatin on angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).

Ninety-five patients with HCC were enrolled. Twenty-six patients received initial liver resection without preoperative TACE (non-TACE), 24 received preoperative TACE without endostatin (TACE), 22 received endostatin (15mg/m2) right after TACE intravenously (TACE-V) and 23 received endostatin (15mg/m2) through the hepatic artery during TACE (TACE-A). TACE was performed using Gemcitabine 1000mg/m2 (emulsified with lipiodol, 10-12mL), cisplatin 40 mg/m2 and 5-fluorouracil 500mg/m2 through the hepatic artery feeding the tumor. Patients received liver resection 4 weeks after second course of TACE.

The mean microvessel density (MVD) was 32.23±12.71, 57.46±18.38, 44.36±15.13 and 43.48±15.59 in non-TACE, TACE, TACE-V and TACE-A group respectively. The positive rate of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression was 46.15%, 91.67%, 77.27% and 73.91% in non-TACE, TACE, TACE-V and TACE-A groups, respectively. Compared to the non-TACE group, MVD and VEGF expression in TACE, TACE-V and TACE-A groups were significantly higher (p<0.05). MVD and VEGF expression in the TACE-V and TACE-A groups were significantly lower than in the TACE group (p<0.05).

Endostatin could significantly repress angiogenesis in HCC after TACE by down-regulating expression of VEGF.