ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy of intrahepatic arterial infusion of Endostar (rh-endostatin, YH-16) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC). MethodsThe study enrolled 76 aHCC patients who were admitted to and treated at the Petroleum Hospital Affiliated to Tianjin Medical University during September 2009 to June 2011. Of these, 44 patients were treated with TACE plus Endostar, and the other 32 (the control group) with TACE alone. After treatment, all patients were subjected to non-scheduled re-examination by computed tomography (or magnetic resonance imaging), in order to check tumor recurrence (or metastasis) and angiogenesis. Count data were compared between groups using the χ2 test. Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and postoperative survival differences were analyzed using the log-rank test. ResultsCompared with the control group, the experimental group treated with TACE plus Endostar had significantly increased response rate (7045% vs. 43.75%, χ2=5.47, P＜0.05) and disease control rate (84.09% vs. 56.25%, χ2=7.18, P＜0.01). The median progression-free survival significantly differed between groups (9.00 vs. 5.00 months , P=0.044), whereas the median overall survival showed no significant difference (10.64 vs. 8.11 months, P=0.448). ConclusionTACE plus Endostar significantly improves the short-term outcome and progression-free survival but has little effect on the overall survival span in patients with aHCC.

Background:Rectal cancer is a common malignant tumor of alimentary tract.It has been demonstrated that oxaliplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy is effective for rectal cancer,however,its mechanism is not fully clarified.Aims:To explore the effect of neoadjuvant chemnotherapy with FOLFOX4 (folinic acid,fluorouracil,and oxaliplatin) on expressions of Ki-67,a proliferating cell-associated nuclear antigen,matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2),and Fas,a death receptor in cancerous tissue of patients with rectal cancer.Methods:A total of 104 cases of patients with histologically proven rectal cancer from Aug.2014 to Feb.2016 at Central Hospital of China National Petroleum Corporation were enrolled prospectively and randomly allocated into treatment group (n =58) and control group (n =46).Patients in treatment group finished 6 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFOX4 before surgery,and those in control group underwent surgery directly.Expressions of Ki-67,MMP-2 and Fas protein in cancerous tissue of surgical specimens were determined immunohistochemically.Results:Immunoreactivity of Ki-67 mainly located in the nucleus of rectal cancer cells,and those of MMP-2 and Fas mainly located in the cytoplasm.Expression rates of Ki-67 and MMP-2 were significantly lower in treatment group than in control group (41.4％ vs.80.4％,P ＜ 0.05;36.2％ vs.73.9％,P ＜ 0.05),while those of Fas was significantly higher in treatment group than in control group (62.1％ vs.32.6％,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions:The therapeutic effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFOX4 on rectal cancer might be associated with the inhibition of proliferative,invasive and metastatic capacities and induction of apoptosis in cancer cells.