Identification of molecular pathways involved in oxaliplatin-associated sinusoidal dilatation

Oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) can result in vascular liver lesions such as sinusoidal dilatations. Physiopathology remains unclear and variability between patients suggests that there is individual susceptibility. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of oxaliplatin liver toxicity may allow to identification of biomarkers and adaptation of chemotherapy delivery. non-tumor frozen liver samples were obtained from patients operated on for CRLM after an exclusive oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy. Gene-expression profiles were first analyzed by microarray on a selected population of 20 patients; 9 patients with severe sinusoidal dilatation (SD) after a short period of chemotherapy and 10 patients without any sinusoidal dilatation after a long period of chemotherapy. These were compared with a control group of 5 patients without any chemotherapy and lesions