To study the safety and efficacy of hepatic artery chemoembolization (TACE) combined with apatinib in the treatment of liver cancer.

A total of 72 patients with primary liver cancer admitted to our hospital from January 2017 to May 2020 were selected as study subjects and divided into observation group (n=36) and control group (n=36) according to the random number table method. The control group was treated with TACE, and the observation group was underwent TACE combined with apatinib ( combined treatment). For the two groups of patients, serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP 9) level, liver function, immune function before and after treatment and treatment effect, the incidence of adverse reactions during the treatment and follow-up survival situation were compared and evaluated.

Before treatment, there were no significant differences in serum VEGF and MMP-9 levels, ALT, AST, TBil and PT levels, CD3⁺, CD4⁺/CD8⁺ and CD19⁺ between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, serum VEGF and MMP-9 concentrations, ALT, AST levels and CD8⁺ in the observation group were all lower than those in the control group, and CD3⁺, CD4⁺, and CD4⁺/CD8⁺ were all higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the survival rate within six months after the operation (P>0.05). The total effective rate, 1-year and 2-year survival rate and adverse reaction rate of the observation group were all higher than those of the control group (P<0.05).

For patients with liver cancer, compared with TACE alone, TACE combined with apatinib treatment has high safety and can significantly increase overall survival and improve cellular immune function and liver function.