Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and remains a significant global health challenge. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the treatment of choice for intermediate-stage HCC patients. While TACE induces localized cytotoxic and ischemic tumor necrosis, the resultant hypoxia paradoxically activates pro-angiogenic signaling pathways, which may promote tumor revascularization and recurrence. This study aimed to evaluate the plasma levels of angiogenetic factors pre- and post-TACE to assess their dynamic changes and potential clinical implications.Methods: Twenty-five intermediate-stage HCC patients were included in this monocentric prospective study. Peripheral blood samples were collected at baseline (pre-TACE), 24 h, 3 days, and 1 month post-TACE. Angiogenic factor levels were analyzed using a multiplex bead-based assay.Results: Angiopoietin-2 levels were significantly elevated three days post-TACE, followed by a gradual decline after one month. A similar pattern was observed for hepatocyte growth factor, with a marked increase at 24 h post-TACE and subsequent normalization. Endothelin-1 also exhibited a temporary increase, although it was only detected in four patients. Fibroblast growth factors (1 and 2) and vascular endothelial growth factor A were detected in a limited number of patients, which may indicate low systemic release or the need for a more sensitive detection method.Conclusions: These findings suggest that TACE induces a transient increase in angiogenic factors, likely due to tumor ischemia, tissue injury, or microenvironmental responses. Future studies should explore more sensitive detection methods and evaluate whether these factors could serve as prognostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets in HCC treatment.
背景：肝细胞癌（HCC）是最常见的原发性肝癌，仍是全球重大的健康挑战。经动脉化疗栓塞术（TACE）是中期HCC患者的首选治疗方法。虽然TACE能诱导局部细胞毒性和缺血性肿瘤坏死，但由此产生的缺氧却会反常地激活促血管生成信号通路，这可能促进肿瘤血管再生和复发。本研究旨在评估TACE前后血浆中血管生成因子的水平，以评估其动态变化及潜在的临床意义。 方法：本研究为单中心前瞻性研究，共纳入25例中期HCC患者。在基线（TACE前）、TACE后24小时、3天和1个月采集外周血样本。使用多重微珠检测法分析血管生成因子水平。 结果：血管生成素-2水平在TACE后三天显著升高，随后在一个月后逐渐下降。肝细胞生长因子也观察到类似模式，在TACE后24小时显著增加，随后恢复正常。内皮素-1也表现出暂时性升高，尽管仅在四名患者中检测到。成纤维细胞生长因子（1和2）和血管内皮生长因子A仅在少数患者中检测到，这可能表明其全身释放水平较低，或需要更灵敏的检测方法。 结论：这些发现表明，TACE会诱导血管生成因子短暂增加，这可能是由于肿瘤缺血、组织损伤或微环境反应所致。未来的研究应探索更灵敏的检测方法，并评估这些因子是否可作为HCC治疗中的预后生物标志物或治疗靶点。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家