title: Radiofrequency ablation combined with transcatheter therapy in rabbit VX2 liver tumors: effects and histopathological characteristics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment (TACE-RFA) has been confirmed superior to TACE or RFA alone in animal liver tumors. TACE before RFA was shown to increase hepatocellular damage. Further optimization of the combination strategy for transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) or TACE combined with RFA is warranted.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the optimal strategy for radiofrequency ablation combined with transcatheter therapies in VX2 liver tumors in a rabbit model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four Japanese White rabbits with VX2 liver tumors were randomly divided into four groups: TACE-RFA (TACE-RFA group), transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) combined with RFA treatment (TAE-RFA group), RFA only group, and TACE only group. Blood samples were collected 1 day before the operation and at 3 and 7 days postoperatively. Seven days after the operation, maximal diameters of coagulation or infarcted zones in the gross specimens, CT images, histopathological characteristics, tumor necrotic rate, and growth rate were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly larger mean long-axis (P < 0.05) and short-axis (P < 0.05) diameters of coagulation and infarction were observed in the TACE-RFA group compared with the TAE-RFA, RFA, and TACE groups on day 7; and the TAE-RFA group showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase versus the RFA and TACE groups on day 7. There were no significant differences in tumor growth rate (109.3 ± 37.5 vs. 119.0 ± 43.1%, P = 0.45) and necrotic rate (89.5 ± 12.0 vs. 83.5 ± 9.3%, P = 0.73) between the TACE-RFA and TAE-RFA groups. TACE-RFA was more effective for achieving tumor destruction than the other treatment strategies, but led to increased rabbits discomfort and more severe liver dysfunction compared with TAE-RFA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TAE-RFA appears to be a beneficial therapeutic modality for treating VX2 liver tumors in a rabbit model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: XuHua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China zhouguofeng69@126.com.
authors.forename: GuoFeng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: XinWei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: JianZhuang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: ChuanSheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: HuiMin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: GanSheng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D002406:Catheterization, Peripheral / Q000379:methods*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011817:Rabbits; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization; VX2 liver tumor; radiofrequency ablation; transcatheter arterial embolization