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Updated: Jun 27, 2025
Non-Invasive PET/MR Imaging in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Published on: August 31, 2022
Quetiapine Significantly Improves the Effectiveness of Radiotherapy in Combating Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression
Jr-DI Yang1, Yu-Chang Liu2,3,4, Hsiao-Chia Wang5,6
1Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University Hospital, Yilan, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Background/Aim:
In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment, radiotherapy (RT) stands as a pivotal approach, yet the emergence of radioresistance poses a formidable challenge. This study aimed to explore the potential synergy between quetiapine and RT for HCC treatment.
Materials And Methods:
A Hep3B xenograft mouse model was used, the investigation tracked tumor progression, safety parameters, and molecular mechanisms.
Results:
The findings revealed a synergistic anti-HCC effect when quetiapine was coupled with RT that prolonged tumor growth time and a significantly higher growth inhibition rate compared to the control group. Safety assessments indicated minimal pathological changes, suggesting potential of quetiapine in mitigating RT-induced alterations in liver and kidney functions. Mechanistically, the combination suppressed metastasis and angiogenesis-related proteins, while triggering the activation of apoptosis-related proteins via targeting Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mediated signaling.
Conclusion:
The potential of the quetiapine and RT combination is emphasized, offering enhanced anti-HCC efficacy, a safety profile, and positioning quetiapine as a radiosensitizer for HCC treatment.
