Relevance of EGFR Between Serum VEGF and MMP-9 in Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Transarterial Chemoembolization

Shengya Cao,1 Shuo Zhu,2 Wei Yin,1 Heng Xu,3 Jianzhong Wu,4 Qiang Wang1,5 1Department of Clinical laboratory, Xuzhou Cancer Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221005, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xuzhou Cancer Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221005, People’s Republic of China; 3Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Jiangsu Province Institute of Materia Medica, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210000, People’s Republic of China; 4Research Center for Clinical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital and Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research and Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210000, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Radiotherapy, Xuzhou Cancer Hospital, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221005, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jianzhong WuResearch Center for Clinical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital and Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research and Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, No. 7 Building, 42 BaiZiTing Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210000, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail wujzh@jszlyy.com.cnQiang WangDepartment of Radiotherapy, Xuzhou Cancer Hospital, No. 131, Huancheng Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221005, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail doctorwang618@126.comObjective: The aim of this study was to estimate the relevance of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) between serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).Methods: The pre-treatment and post-treatment concentrations of the serum VEGF and MMP‑9 were detected with Luminex assay in 80 EGFR-negative patients and 59 EGFR-positive patients who received TACE therapy with different chemotherapeutic drugs.Results: The serum concentration of MMP-9 in the EGFR-positive patients with primary HCC was significantly higher than that in the EGFR-negative patients (P < 0.05). In EGFR-positive patients with primary HCC, differences in stage, metastasis, and differentiation were significant (P < 0.05). Serum VEGF level significantly decreased at the second course of treatment in the EGFR-negative patients from the P group (P < 0.05), while serum MMP-9 level significantly decreased at the second course of treatment in the EGFR-negative patients from the E group (P < 0.05). Serum VEGF level in the EGFR-positive patients among three groups slightly decreased at the first, second and third courses of treatments; however, the differences were not significant (P > 0.05). Serum MMP-9 level in the EGFR-positive patients among three groups showed mild decrease at the first and second courses of treatments; however, the decreases at the third course of treatment were significant (P < 0.05).Conclusion: Serum VEGF and MMP-9 are potential biomarkers for the treatment monitoring of EGFR-positive and -negative patients after TACE therapy with different chemotherapeutic drugs.Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, transarterial chemoembolization, EGFR, VEGF, MMP-9