Klin Onkol 2019; 32(Suppl 1): 164-166.
Background: Hepatic cancer patients who cannot undergo surgical resection of tumour are candidates for methods of interventional radiology – transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) or thermal ablative (TA) therapy. Both methods are causing characteristic changes in liver tissue (inflammatory immune response, hypoxia, elevated temperature, tissue destruction) which are accompanied with systemic secretion of cytokines or microRNAs (miRNAs). The aim of our study was to investigate whether the level of circulating miRNAs related to hypoxia (miR-21 and miR-210), liver injury (miR-122) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (miR-200a) could reflect systemic effect of these intervention techniques. Materials and methods: Study consisted of 10 primary hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with TACE and 10 patients with liver metastases of colorectal cancer treated with TA. Thermal ablation was performed using the radiofrequency or microwave generator (RITA, Microsulis, AngioDynamics,Inc), for TACE drug eluting beads (DCBeads, Biocompatibles Ltd.) were used. Tumours were evaluated using RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours), mRECIST (modified RECIST) criterion and volumetry. For all patients we determined concentrations of miRNA in blood plasma samples from four time points (before intervention, immediately after intervention, 24 hours after intervention, 1 week after intervention) using TaqMan® Assays and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction method. Results: After both intervention techniques we observed changes in circulating miRNA levels. In TA cases we observed significant increase of miR-122 and miR-200a concentrations immediately after intervention, on the contrary in TACE we observed increase in miRNA concentration at time point 24 hours after intervention (miR-21, miR-210, miR-122, miR-200a). Increased concentration of circulating miRNA was followed by subsequent decline to initial level. These changes were consistent with presumed biological effect of TA and TACE on tumour tissue. Conclusion: Data of this pilot study show potential usage of circulating miRNA for monitoring of systemic effect of thermal ablative and intraarterial therapies.
