Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 levels predict outcomes of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma receiving antiangiogenic therapy

Abstract

Purpose: Patients with liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have decreased serum insulinlike growth factor (IGF)-1 levels. We evaluated whether IGF-1 levels were associated with the outcomes of patients with advanced HCC treated with systemic antiangiogenic therapy. Experimental Design: The study was based on patients with advanced HCC who were enrolled in two clinical trials evaluating first-line combination antiangiogenic therapy. Serum samples were collected before treatment and four to six weeks after the start of treatment. The levels of IGF-1, IGF-2, and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP3) were analyzed for their associations with treatment outcomes. Results: A total of 83 patients were included in the study. Patients who had high (≥the median level) baseline IGF-1 levels had significantly higher disease control rate (DCR) than patients who had low (