Clinical Significance of Serum Insulin-like Growth Factor-II Measurement in Patients with Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma before and after Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization

Background: Serum level of insulin-like growth factor-Ⅱ (IGF-Ⅱ) is associated with the prognosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus, serum IGF-Ⅱ measurement is helpful for the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy in primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Aims: To investigate the effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) on serum IGF-Ⅱ level in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, and the clinical significance of serum IGF-Ⅱ measurement. Methods: 33 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma received TACE therapy and 48 healthy subjects served as controls in this study. The serum levels of IGF-Ⅱ were measured by radioimmunoassay in all patients and controls. Results: The serum level of IGF-Ⅱ in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma before and after TACE treatment were all significantly higher than that in normal controls (P0.001). After three times TACE treatment, the serum IGF-Ⅱ level decreased markedly than that before treatment (P0.05). During the treatment period, the serum IGF-Ⅱ level decreased gradually in patients who survived and increased in those who died. Conclusions: Serum level of IGF-Ⅱ that may reduce after TACE therapy in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, is a marker for the prognosis and therapeutic efficacy evaluation of TACE in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma.