Table 2.

Quantitative IHC Staining for Apoptosis

Note.—Data are the means ± standard deviations unless otherwise specified. RF ablation–doxorubicin and paclitaxel–RF ablation significantly increased cleaved caspase-3 staining over RF ablation alone, with peak apoptotic expression at different times (4 hours for RF ablation–doxorubicin and 24 hours for paclitaxel–RF ablation [P < .001, both comparisons]). Cleaved caspase-3 rim thickness was greatest (0.9 mm), but had the most variability (± 0.57 mm) for paclitaxel–RF ablation at 24 hours. Cleaved caspase-3 was higher with paclitaxel–RF ablation–doxorubicin than with RF ablation alone at both times, but lower than RF ablation–doxorubicin at 4 hours (P < .005) and paclitaxel–RF ablation at 24 hours (P < .001).

^*Significantly greater values compared with values for all other treatments listed (P < .05).