Influence of hepatic artery thermotherapy on the vascular permeability of hepatic tumor tissue and normal liver tissue in VX2 tumor-bearing rabbits

Objective: To evaluate the effects of interventional thermotherapy (60 degree C) via hepatic artery on the vascular permeability of hepatic tumor tissue and normal liver tissue in VX2 tumor-bearing rabbits. Methods: Thirty white rabbits were used in this experiment. Thirty VX2 tumor-bearing rabbits models were established by direct injection of VX2 tissue particle into the liver parenchyma and were randomly and equally divided into three groups: (1) non-perfusion group (n=10), used as control group; (2) normal thermal perfusion group (n=10), a perfusion of 30ml saline at 37 ± 0.5 degree C via hepatic artery in 15 minutes was used; (3) hyper-thermal perfusion group (n=10), a perfusion of 30ml saline at 60 ± 0.5 degree C via hepatic artery in 15 minutes was used. The vascular permeability of the tumor tissue and the normal liver tissue was estimated with Evan's blue method. Results: In all three groups the vascular permeability was significantly increased in tumor tissue than that in normal liver tissue (P<0.05). Normal thermal perfusion resulted in a significant increase in the permeability of vasculature (P>0.05). Hyper-thermal perfusion resulted in a significant increase in vascular permeability of tumor tissue (P<0.05), and vascular permeability was increased in tumor tissue more markedly than that in normal tissue (P<0.05). Conclusion: Hyperthermia hepatic arterial perfusion can increase vascular permeability for both tumor tissue and normal tissue in VX2 tumor-bearing rabbits. (authors)