Brief Reports
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2005. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 21, 2005; 11(39): 6193-6196
Published online Oct 21, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i39.6193
Quantitative analysis of plasma HBV DNA for early evaluation of the response to transcatheter arterial embolization for HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma
Ying-Wen Su, Yu-Wen Huang, Sheng-Hsuan Chen, Chin-Yuan Tzen
Ying-Wen Su, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Yu-Wen Huang, Department of Medical Research, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Sheng-Hsuan Chen, Department of Gastroenterology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Chin-Yuan Tzen, Department of Medical Research, Department of Pathology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the grant NSC91-2314-B-195-026 from National Science Council, Taiwan, China
Correspondence to: Dr. Chin-Yuan Tzen, MD, PhD, Department of Pathology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, 45 Minsheng Road, Tamshui, Taipei, Taiwan, China.jeffrey@ms2.mmh.org.tw
Telephone: +886-2-28094661-2491 Fax: +886-2-28093385
Received: March 24, 2004
Revised: June 1, 2005
Accepted: June 2, 2005
Published online: October 21, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To assesse changes in plasma HBV DNA after TAE in HBV-related HCC and correlate the levels with the pattern of lipiodol accumulation on CT.

METHODS: Between April and June 2001, 14 patients with HBV-associated HCC who underwent TAE for inoperable or recurrent tumor were studied. Levels of plasma HBV DNA were measured by real-time quantitative PCR daily for five consecutive days after TAE. More than twofold elevation of circulating HBV DNA was considered as a definite elevation. Abdominal CT was performed 1-2 mo after TAE for the measurement of lipiodol retention.

RESULTS: Circulating HBV DNA in 10 out of 13 patients was elevated after TAE, except for one patient whose plasma HBV DNA was undetectable before and after TAE. In group I patients (n = 6), the HBV DNA elevation persisted for more than 2 d, while in group II (n = 7), the HBV DNA elevation only appeared for 1 d or did not reach a definite elevation. There were no significant differences in age or tumor size between the two groups. Patients in group I had significantly better lipiodol retention (79.31±28.79%) on subsequent abdominal CT than group II (18.43±10.61%) (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION: Patients with durable HBV DNA elevation for more than 2 d correlated with good lipiodol retention measured 1 mo later, while others associated with poor lipiodol retention. Thus, circulating HBV DNA may be an early indicator of the success or failure of TAE.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Transcatheter arterial embolization; HBV DNA