Adriamycin Thermotherapy through the Hepatic Artery Using VX2 Carcinoma in Rabbit Liver as a Model

OBJECTIVE It has been reported that heating can enhance sensitivity of rabbit VX2 cells to adriamycin and increase the intracellular concentration of adriamycin. This study was designed to evaluate the anti-tumor effect of interventional hyperthermia and interventional thermochemotherapy on VX2 carcinoma in rabbit liver. METHODS VX2 carcinoma cells were surgically implanted into the right liver lobe of 60 male New Zealand white rabbits, which were randomly divided into 4 groups (15 per group). The 4 groups (designated as 1, 2, 3, 4 respectively) were injected with 10 ml of the following via the hepatic artery: physiological saline (37℃); adriamycin (37℃); physiological saline (60℃); adriamycin (60℃). One week later, the tumor volume, serum level of aspartate transaminase (AST) and the survival of the rabbits bearing VX2 were observed and compared among the different treated groups. RESULTS The tumor growth rate in group 4 (ADM 60℃) (0.53±0.21)% was significantly lower than that in group 1 (3.48±1.17)%, in group 2 (1.09±0.26)% and group 3 (3.32±1.28)% (P<0.05, P<0.05, P<0.01, respectively). The days of survival days for group 4 (87.0±2.0) were significantly more than that in group 1 (40.0±3.0). Group 4 showed a significantly higher increase in serum AST compared to group 1 (P<0.05), but without significant differences compared to the other groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION Adriamycin treatment at 60℃ significantly deceased the tumor growth, prolonged the survival period and resulted in reversible liver damage.