| Objective:Transcatheter intraarterial techniques can effectively deliver chemotherapeutic agents to tumor and improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. The present study is designed to evaluate the effect of transcatheter intraarterial techniques on the distribution of doxorubicin in relation to blood vessels in liver cancer.Methods:VX2tumors were implanted in the livers of16rabbits. The animals were divided into4groups of4animals each. Group1(doxo iv) animals received doxorubicin intravenous injection; group2(doxo ia) animals received doxorubicin hepatic intraarterial infusion; group3(doxo ia+E) received doxorubicin hepatic intraarterial infusion followed by embolization; group4(doxo+L ia+E) received hepatic intraarterial infusion of doxorubicin mixed with lipiodol followed by the embolization. Immunofluorescence techniques were used to evaluate the distance of doxorubicin fluorescence from the nearest blood vessel (recognized by CD31).Results:Doxorubicin fluorescence was distributed around tumor blood vessels and decreased with distance from the blood vessels. Tumor cells in avascular and adjacent regions were not exposed to detectable concentrations of doxorubicin. Tumors in the group2(doxo ia),3(doxo ia+E) and4(doxo+L ia+E) showed significant increase in doxorubicin penetration distance compared with the group1(doxo iv) tumors (P<0.05). Among the three groups of transcatheter therapies, doxorubicin penetration distance in group3was significant greater than that in group2and4(P<0.05); no significant difference was found between groups2and4(P>0.05).Conclusion:Transcatheter intraarterial therapies improve doxorubicin penetration in liver cancer; nevertheless their effect on drug distribution is somewhat limited. |
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