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Prognostic Significance of VEGF and HIF-1 α in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Receiving Sorafenib Versus Metformin Sorafenib Combination

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Abstract

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health problem. HCC burden has been increasing in Egypt in the past 10 years. Most HCC cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage with limited treatment options. Sorafenib is the standard therapy for advanced HCC, but the effectiveness is not satisfied. Metformin may decrease the risk of HCC development in diabetic patients, reduces tumor invasion, and augments sensitivity to sorafenib; however, safety and efficacy of combined treatment are still unclear. As HCC is characterized by high vascularity, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in vascularization, many studies questioned if VEGF and HIF-1 α could offer information about HCC response to sorafenib. We conducted this study to assess the benefits from adding metformin to HCC treatment, and appraise the role of VEGF and HIF-1 α in HCC prognosis.

Method

This was a prospective, randomized study in which 80 advanced measurable patients consecutively treated with sorafenib plus metformin (arm A) or sorafenib alone (arm B), prognostic value of plasma, and tissue levels of VEGF and HIF-1 α were evaluated.

Results

We enrolled 61 men and 19 women with a median age of 60 years (range 49–68 years). Fifty-seven patients had Child–Pugh A while 23 had early B, the most common etiology of liver disease was hepatitis C (86%). Sixty percent of patients were diabetic. No significant difference was detected between arm A and arm B regarding response to treatment (p = 0.5), time to disease progression (p = 0.3), or overall survival (p = 0.6). Low VEGF and HIF-1 α plasma levels were significantly associated with better treatment response (p < 0.001 for both), and higher OS (p < 0.001). Patients with high expressions of VEGF and HIF in HCC tissue had significantly poor treatment outcome (p < 0.001, p = 0.03, respectively), and poor OS (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

No superior efficacy of adding metformin to sorafenib in HCC treatment. VEGF and HIF-1 α had promising prognostic value in HCC.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Oncology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt

    Shereen El Shorbagy, Fouad abuTaleb & Rasha Haggag

  2. Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt

    Hany A. Labib & Huda Ebian

  3. Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt

    Ola A. Harb & Mona Saeed Mohammed

  4. El-mabara Hospital, Zagazig, Egypt

    Hanaa A. Rashied

  5. Internal Medicine department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt

    Khaled A. Elbana

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  1. Shereen El Shorbagy
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Correspondence to Rasha Haggag.

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This study was approved by Zagazig University Institutional Review Board (IRB), and carried out from December 2014 to January 2016 at Zagazig University and El Mabara Hospitals.

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El Shorbagy, S., abuTaleb, F., Labib, H.A. et al. Prognostic Significance of VEGF and HIF-1 α in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Receiving Sorafenib Versus Metformin Sorafenib Combination. J Gastrointest Canc 52, 269–279 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-020-00389-w

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