ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the difference of curative effect between transcather arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with apatinib mesylate tablets and TACE alone in the treatment of intermediate and advanced primary hepatoma. Methods: Total of 60 patients with intermediate and advanced hepatoma treated by TACE were divided into the observation group (30 cases) and the control group (30 cases) according to whether TACE combined with apatinib mesylate tablets or not. The serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) before and 3 months after the treatment were compared. And the objective remission rate, overall survival, and the incidence of adverse effects between the two groups were also compared. Results: The serum levels of AFP, VEGF, and MMP-9 before treatment were not significantly different between the two groups (all P > 0.05), but the ones were all decreased in the two groups 3 months after treatment (all P 0.05). However, the occurrence rates of hypertension, proteinuria, hand-foot syndrome, and rash in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: Compared with the treatment of TACE alone, TACE combined with apatinib mesylate can get better clinical efficacy and survival in the treatment of intermediate and advanced primary hepatoma, but with an increased adverse effects rate.