Circulating pro- and anti-angiogenic factors in multi-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma progression

To date, few studies have carried out a simultaneous determination of multiple pro- and anti-angiogenic factors during liver diseases progression. This study investigated the dynamic change in circulating angiogenic factors in multi-step carcinogenesis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Serum levels of major pro-angiogenic [Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF)] and anti-angiogenic [Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), Endostatin] factors were identified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and correlated with liver diseases progression and outcomes of HCC patients undergoing transarterial chemo-embolization. A total of 240 patients (156 HCC, 37 cirrhosis and 47 chronic hepatitis) were enrolled in this study. While progressing from chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis to HCC, VEGF and b-FGF levels showed a significant change. Particularly, b-FGF yielded the highest AUROC value for a diagnosis of HCC and its distinction from other disease groups. A trend towards increasing VEGF levels was observed from Child-Pugh class A, B to C. VEGF and TSP-1 levels increased with the advance of cancer stage, with a remarkable increase in TSP-1 at an intermediate stage. Pretreatment levels of VEGF, TSP-1, and endostatin independently predicted the overall survival of patients. VEGF and TSP-1 levels correlated with progression-free survival. Our study demonstrated the dynamic angiogenic switch and the roles that individual pro- and anti-angiogenic factors contribute to carcinogenesis and HCC progression during the course of multi-step liver diseases. These imply the future possibility of testing pro- and anti-angiogenic panels as a diagnostic marker and a guide in decision-making about upcoming targeted therapies.