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.