Trial Information

Recurrence and Distant Metastases in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated by Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization : The Roles of VEGF, Cathepsin L, Endostatin, and Angiopoietin-2.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the traditional method for the palliative
management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This method will cause tissue
hypoxia in area of embolization. Several proangiogenic factors will be induced by the
condition of hypoxia. This may have the possibility to promote the proliferation of the
residual cancer cells. However, there is no study to clarify this issue. This project will
determine the serial changes of serum proangiogenic factors (vascular endothelial growth
factor, angiopoietin 2), antiangiogenic factor (endostatin) and cathepsin L before and after
TACE. These data will be compared with the clinical courses of the patients to obtain the
most suitable way in the management of these patients.

This project will include at least 40 patients with HCC who will receive TACE as a sole
method for the management. The serum is collected before and at the 3rd and 7th day after
TACE. The serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor, angiopoietin 2, endostatin and
cathepsin L are determined. All patients will be evaluated according to the TNM system for
the cancer staging before and 3 months after each session of treatment. The vascularity of
tumor, the drug and the dose used for embolization, and the area of infarction will be
recorded.