Experimental study of chemical embolus therapy combined with radiotherapy for VX2 bone tumors

Abstract

Background. We conducted an experimental study, using a combination of coarse crystal cisplatin and radiotherapy for bone tumors, to evaluate the possibility of the clinical application of chemical embolus therapy in the field of orthopedic surgery.

Methods. Experimental femoral bone tumors were produced, in rabbits, using VX2 carcinoma. The rabbits were allocated to five groups: untreated control, embolus, chemical embolus, irradiation alone, and chemical embolus and irradiation combination. These therapies were evaluated comparatively, in terms of local antitumor effects (including body weight, X-ray findings, angiography, and histopathology) and in terms of inhibition of pulmonary metastasis.

Results. Local antitumor effects, as evaluated by all parameters, except for body weight, were significantly greater for the chemical and irradiation combination group than for the chemical embolus, irradiation alone, untreated control, and embolus groups. There was no significant difference in the inhibition of pulmonary metastasis among the chemical embolus and irradiation combination, chemical embolus, and irradiation alone groups.

Conclusion. These findings demonstrated the synergistic effect of the combination of chemical embolus therapy and radiotherapy. In this study, however, no significant difference was found between the chemical embolus therapy alone and the combination therapy groups in the inhibitory effect on pulmonary tumor metastasis, suggesting the need to conduct combination therapy repeatedly in the clinical setting.