title: Synergistic anti-tumor effects of zoledronic acid and radiotherapy against metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: A 72-year-old man with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and decompensated hepatitis C virus-related cirrhosis suffered from a metastatic femoral fracture. After undergoing radiotherapy, he was only treated with supportive care, except for the administration of zoledronic acid (ZA). Thereafter, the initially elevated serum α-fetoprotein and des-gamma carboxyprothrombin levels declined to within the normal ranges. Hepatic and metastatic adrenal tumors, distant from the radiation field, exhibited a surprising regression. ZA is known to inhibit the activity of osteoclasts, bone-residential macrophages, and has been reported to have a direct anti-tumor effect. ZA may adjust the immunological milieu in tumor microenvironments by inhibiting the tumor-associated macrophages. Because radiotherapy can enhance the presentation of tumor-associated antigens, ZA and radiotherapy may exert synergistic anti-tumor effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Japanese Red Cross Society Himeji Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morii
authors.forename: Yuhki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoyama
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okushin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000378:metabolism; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood; D011516:Prothrombin; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004164:Diphosphonates; D007093:Imidazoles; D011498:Protein Precursors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; C008208:acarboxyprothrombin; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid; D011516:Prothrombin