Effect of recombinant human endostatin combined with hepatic artery interventional therapy on progression-free survival of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of recombinant human endostatin (Endostar) combined with hepatic artery interventional therapy on the progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MethodsA total of 86 patients with advanced HCC who were admitted to Fujian Provincial Tumor Hospital from March 2011 to May 2015 were selected and divided into treatment group and control group according to a matched pair design. The treatment group (43 patients) was given Endostar combined with hepatic artery interventional therapy, and the control group (43 patients) was given hepatic artery interventional therapy combined with oral administration of Ganfule. The chi-square test was applied for comparison of categorical data between the two groups, and the t-test was applied for comparison of continuous data between the two groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was applied for survival analysis, the Log-rank test was applied for univariate analysis, and Cox proportional hazards model was applied for multivariate analysis. ResultsThe median PFS in the treatment group and the control group was 154 d ［95% confidence interval (CI): 94-214 d］ and 70 d (95%CI: 39-101 d), respectively, with a significant difference between the two groups (χ2=10.741, P=0001). Univariate analysis showed that the severity of liver cirrhosis, number of tumors, and main portal vein tumor thrombus/inferior vena cava tumor thrombus were the prognostic factors for patients with advanced HCC (χ2=8.182, 9.150, and 6.565, P=0.004, 0.027, and 0.038); multivariate analysis showed that the severity of liver cirrhosis and main portal vein tumor thrombus/inferior vena cava tumor thrombus were the independent prognostic factors for PFS in patients with advanced HCC who were treated with Endostar combined with hepatic artery interventional therapy (P=0.028 and 0.013). ConclusionEndostar can effectively prolong the PFS of patients with advanced HCC after hepatic artery interventional therapy, but it does not have a clear advantage in patients with severe liver cirrhosis or main portal vein tumor thrombus/inferior vena cava tumor thrombus.