The Effect of Doxorubicin on the Changes of Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization (TACE)
Kawin Leelawat MD, PhD*, Pikul Laisupasin MT, MSc**, Alongkorn Kiatdilokrut MD***, Tavutchai Pongtongpool MD*, Siriluk Narong MSc*, Nongluk Samkhumphim MSc****, Sukit Ket-Horm MSc****
Affiliation : * Department of Surgery, Rajavithi Hospital, Bangkok ** Department of Biochemistry, National Cancer Institute, Bangkok *** Department of Radiology, National Cancer Institute, Bangkok **** Department of Immunology, Rajavithi Hospital, Bangkok
Background : Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization
(TACE) is known to induce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. A recent study has shown
that doxorubicin can repress hypoxic induction of VEGF expression in human cancer cells.
Objective : To evaluate the combination effects of doxorubicin and TACE on the change of serum VEGF after
TACE.
Material and Method: Thirty patients with unresectable HCC were assigned into two groups, the experiment
group (n = 15) received TACE with doxorubicin (25-50 mg) plus mitomycin C (5-10 mg), and the control
group (n = 15) received TACE with mitomycin C (5-10 mg). Serum VEGF before and after TACE (24 hour) was
measured by quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results : Baseline serum VEGF was correlated with the size of tumor (r2 = 0.85; p = 0.03). In addition, serum
VEGF was significantly elevated after TACE (p = 0.014). However, the change of serum VEGF after TACE is
not statistically different in both groups (p = 0.72). At 2-years, the overall survival was 38% and 40% in the
experiment and control group, respectively (p = 0.48).
Conclusion : The present study suggests that doxorubicin improves neither the level of serum VEGF nor the
survival in HCC patients treated with TACE.
Keywords : Doxorubicin, hepatocellular carcinoma, mitomycin C, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, vascular endothelial growth factor
