Preclinical Assessment of the Efficacy of Anti-Angiogenic Therapies in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Ultrasound Med Biol. 2016 Feb;42(2):438-46. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2015.10.012. Epub 2015 Nov 28.

Abstract

Diffuse hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex affliction in which comorbidities can bias global outcome of cancer therapy. Better methods are thus warranted to directly assess effects of therapy on tumor angiogenesis and growth. As tumor angiogenesis is invariably associated with changes in local blood flow, we assessed the utility of ultrasound imaging in evaluation of the efficacy of anti-angiogenic therapy in a spontaneous transgenic mouse model of HCC. Blood flow velocities were measured monthly in the celiac trunk before and after administration of sorafenib or bevacizumab at doses corresponding to those currently used in clinical practice. Concordant with clinical experience, sorafenib, but not bevacizumab, reduced microvascular density and suppressed tumor growth relative to controls. Evolution of blood flow velocities correlated with microvascular density and with the evolution of tumor size. Ultrasound imaging thus provides a useful non-invasive tool for preclinical evaluation of new anti-angiogenic therapies for HCC.

Keywords: Anti-angiogenic drugs; Duplex Doppler ultrasound imaging; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Murine model.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / administration & dosage*
  • Animals
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / physiopathology
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Liver Circulation / drug effects
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / complications
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / diagnostic imaging
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / drug therapy*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Ultrasonography / methods*

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors