Retrospective long-term evaluation of conventional transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

Conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) is an established treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma. A retrospective review of patients treated from 1996 to 2016 investigated outcomes with cTACE for HCC at the University Hospital of Goethe University (Frankfurt, Germany). The median overall survival was 700 days, with the best OS among patients receiving cTACE with neoadjuvant intention (1229 days) followed by patients treated with curative intention (787 days) and patient treated with palliative intention (360 days). Portal vein thrombosis and Child-Pugh class B or worse were associated with shorter OS. The authors conclude that selected patients with HCC can have satisfying outcomes with cTACE.