Radioembolization with Yttrium-90 microspheres in hepatocellular carcinoma: Role and perspectives

Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) is a form of brachytherapy in which intra-arterially injected yttrium-90-loaded microspheres serve as a source for internal radiation purposes. On the average, it produces disease control rates exceeding 80% and it is a consolidated therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, current data are all based on retrospective series or non-controlled prospective studies since randomized controlled trials comparing it with the other liver-directed therapies for intermediate and locally advanced stage HCC are still underway. The data available show that TARE provides similar or even better survival rates when compared to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). First-line TARE is best indicated for both intermediate-stage patients (staged according to the barcelona clinic liver cancer staging classification) who have lesions which respond poorly to TACE due to multiple tumors or a large tumor burden, and for locally advanced-stage patients with solitary tumors, and segmental or lobar portal vein tumor thrombosis. In addition, emerging data have suggested the use of TARE in patients who are classified slightly beyond the Milan criteria regarding radical treatment for downstaging purposes. As a second-line treatment, TARE can also be applied in patients progressing to TACE or sorafenib; a large number of phase II/III trials are ongoing with the purpose of evaluating the best association with systemic therapies. Transarterial radioembolization is very well tolerated and has a low rate of complications which are mainly related to unintended non-target tissue irradiation, including the surrounding liver parenchyma. The complications can be additionally reduced by accurate patient selection and a strict pre-treatment evaluation including dosimetry and assessment of the vascular anatomy. Since a correct treatment algorithm for potential TARE candidates is not clear and standardized, this comprehensive review analyzes the best selection criteria for patients who really benefit from TARE and also the new advances of this therapy, which can be a very important weapon against HCC.     

Effective treatment strategies other than sorafenib for the patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma invading portal vein

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) accompanying portal vein tumor thrombosis(PVTT) have relatively few therapeutic options and an extremely poor prognosis. These patients are classified into barcelonaclinic liver cancer stage C and sorafenib is suggested as the standard therapy of care. However, overall survival(OS) gain from sorafenib is unsatisfactory and better treatment modalities are urgently required. Therefore, we critically appraised recent data for the various treatment strategies for patients with HCC accompanying PVTT. In suitable patients, even surgical resection can be considered a potentially curative strategy. Transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) can be performed effectively and safely in a carefully chosen population of patients with reserved liver function and sufficient collateral blood flow nearby the blocked portal vein. A recent metaanalysis demonstrated that TACE achieved a substantial improvement of OS in HCC patients accompanying PVTT compared with best supportive care. In addition, transarterial radioembolization(TARE) using yttrium-90 microspheres achieves quality-of-life advantages and is as effective as TACE. A large proportion of HCC patients accompanying PVTT are considered to be proper for TARE. Moreover, TACE or TARE achieved comparable outcomes to sorafenib in recent studies and it was also reported that the combination of radiotherapy with TACE achieved a survival gain compared to sorafenib in HCC patients accompanying PVTT. Surgical resectionbased multimodal treatments, transarterial approaches including TACE and TARE, and TACE-based appropriate combination strategies may improve OS of HCC patients accompanying PVTT.     

Intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma: How to choose the best treatment modality?

Intermediate stage, or stage B according to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer classification, of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) comprises a heterogeneous population with different tumor burden and liver function. This heterogeneity is confirmed by the large variability of treatment choice and disease-relate survival. The aim of this review was to highlight the existing evidences regarding this specific topic. In a multidisciplinary evaluation, patients with large (> 5 cm) solitary HCC should be firstly considered for liver resection (LR). When LR is unfeasible, locoregional treatments are evaluable therapeutic options, being transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), the most used procedure. Percutaneous ablation can be an evaluable treatment for large HCC. However, the efficacy of all ablative procedures decrease as tumor size increases over 3 cm. In clinical practice, a combination treatment strategy [TACE or transarterial radioembolization (TARE)-plus percutaneous ablation] is “a priori” preferred in a relevant percentage of these patients. On the other hands, sorafenib is the treatment of choice in patients who are unsuitable to surgery and/or with a contraindication to locoregional treatments. In multifocal HCC, TACE is the first-line treatment. The role of TARE is still undefined. Surgery may have also a role in the treatment of multifocal HCC in selected cases (patients with up to three nodules, multifocal HCC involving 2-3 adjacent liver segments). In some patients with bilobar disease the combination of LR and ablative treatment may be a valuable option. The choice of the best treatment in the patient with intermediate stage HCC should be “patient-tailored” and made by a multidisciplinary team.     

Reappraisal of repeated transarterial chemoembolization in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion

Background and Aim:  This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of repeated transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with additional radiation therapy (RT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein (PV) invasion.
Methods:  We performed survival analysis of consecutive HCC patients with PV invasion according to the treatment modalities after stratification by the degree of PV invasion and liver function retrospectively.
Results:  During 2005, 281 patients were newly diagnosed to have HCC with PV invasion at our institution. Repeated TACE or transarterial chemoinfusion (TACI) was performed in 202 (71.9%) patients and additional RT was performed for PV invasion in 43 of them. A total of 281 patients had a median survival of 5.2 months and a 2-year survival rate (YSR) of 19.2%. Repeated TACE showed significant survival benefits compared with conservative management in patients with PV branch invasion; median survival and 2-YSR was 10.2 vs 2.3 months and 33.7% vs 0% in Child–Pugh A categorized patients and 5.5 vs 1.3 months and 10.3 vs 0% in Child–Pugh B categorized patients, respectively ( P  < 0.001). In patients with PV branch invasion, the survival rate was significantly longer with TACE/TACI plus RT than with TACE/TACI alone both in Child–Pugh A categorized patients (1-YSR: 63.6 vs 35.6%, P  = 0.031) and Child–Pugh B categorized patients (1-YSR: 66.7 vs 7.7%, P  = 0.007). Repeated TACE was well tolerated in our patients, with only one dying within one month after TACE.
Conclusion:  Repeated TACE with additional RT can be performed safely and showed a significant survival benefit in HCC patients with PV branch invasion with conserved liver function.     

Liver resection for intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in China. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer(BCLC) staging system is regarded as the gold standard staging system for HCC, classifying HCC as early, intermediate, or advanced. For intermediate HCC, trans-catheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE) is recommended as the optimal strategy by the BCLC guideline. This review investigates whether liver resection is better than TACE for intermediate HCC. Based on published studies, we compare the survival benefits and complications of liver resection and TACE for intermediate HCC. We also compare the survival benefits of liver resection in early and intermediate HCC. We find that liver resection can achieve better or at least comparable survival outcomes compared with TACE for intermediate HCC; however, we do not observe a significant difference between liver resection and TACE in terms of safety and morbidity. We conclude that liver resection may improve the short- and long-term survival of carefully selected intermediate HCC patients, and the procedure may be safely performed in the management of intermediate HCC.     

Conventional vs drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

Transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) is the current standard of therapy for patients with intermediatestage hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer classification. The concept of conventional TACE(cTACE) is the selective obstruction of tumor-feeding artery by injection of chemotherapeutic agents, leading to ischemic necrosis of the target tumor via cytotoxic and ischemic effects. Drugeluting beads(DEBs) have been imposed as novel drugdelivering agents for TACE, which allows for higher concentrations of drugs within the target tumor and lower systemic concentrations compared with cTACE. Despite the theoretical advantages of DEB-TACE, it is still controversial in clinical practice as to whether DEBTACE is superior to cTACE in regard to overall survival and treatment response. In this review article, we summarize the clinical efficacy and safety of DEB-TACE for patients with intermediate or advanced stage HCC in comparison with cTACE.     

Management of hepatocellular carcinoma with transarterial chemoembolization in the era of systemic targeted therapy

The clinical management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often complicated by poor liver function. Treatment options for intermediate- and advanced-stage disease are limited. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is an effective first-line therapy for intermediate-stage HCC. By interrupting blood flow to the tumor and administering concentrated chemotherapy locoregionally, TACE induces necrosis at the tumor site, but may create conditions that permit or encourage angiogenesis and recurrence of the tumor. Combination of TACE with new targeted agents may be an effective way to treat intermediate-stage HCC, particularly in higher risk patients. Because of the efficacy and safety of sorafenib-the first systemic therapy to show significant clinical benefit in advanced HCC-there is great interest in its potential use in combination with existing treatment modalities. The synergistic combination of TACE plus sorafenib represents a promising opportunity for tumor control.     

Transarterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: Barcelona clinic liver cancer staging system

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),the fifth most common cancer that predominantly occurs in liver cirrhosis patients,requires staging systems to design treatments. The barcelona clinic liver cancer staging system(BCLC) is the most commonly used HCC management guideline. For BCLC stage B(intermediate HCC),transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) is the standard treatment. Many studies support the use of TACE in early and advanced HCC patients. For BCLC stage 0(very early HCC),TACE could be an alternative for patients unsuitable for radiofrequency ablation(RFA) or hepatic resection. In patients with BCLC stage A,TACE plus RFA provides better local tumor control than RFA alone. TACE can serve as bridge therapy for patients awaiting liver transplantation. For patients with BCLC B,TACE provides survival benefits compared with supportive care options. However,because of the substantial heterogeneity in the patient population with this stage,a better patient stratification system is needed to select the best candidates for TACE. Sorafenib represents the first line treatment in patients with BCLC C stage HCC. Sorafenib plus TACE has shown a demonstrable effect in delaying tumor progression. Additionally,TACE plus radiotherapy has yielded better survival in patients with HCC and portal venous thrombosis. Considering these observations together,TACE clearly has a critical role in the treatment of HCC as a stand-alone or combination therapy in each stage of HCC. Diverse treatment modalities should be used for patients with HCC and a better patient stratification system should be developed to select the best candidates for TACE.     

Direct invasion to the colon by hepatocellular carcinoma： Report of two cases

Although hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） is a common tumor, direct invasion of the gastrointestinal tract by HCC is uncommon. Recently, we encountered two cases of HCC with direct invasion to the colon. The first patient was a 79-year-old man who underwent transarterial chemo-embolization （TACE） for HCC 1.5 years prior to admission to our hospital. Computed tomography （CT） showed a 7.5-cm liver tumor directly invading the transverse colon. Partial resection of the liver and transverse colon was performed. The patient survived 6 mo after surgery, but died of recurrent HCC. The second patient was a 69-year-old man who underwent TACE and ablation for HCC 2 years and 7 months prior to being admitted to our hospital for melena and abdominal distension. CT revealed a 6-cm liver tumor with direct invasion to the colon. The patient underwent partial resection of the liver and right hemicolectomy. The patient recovered from the surgery. But, unfortunately, he died of liver failure due to liver cirrhosis one month later. Although the prognosis of HCC that has invaded the colon is generally poor due to the advanced stage of the disease, surgical resection may be a favorable treatment option in patients with a good general condition.     

Expanding TACTICS trial into a different setting in hepatocellular carcinoma

Systemic treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is recommended for patients with advanced stage and for those who progressed on locoregional modalities. The first agent approved for advanced HCC was sorafenib, and it remains one of the cornerstones of systemic treatment. In the past years, immunotherapy has shown promising results and has been incorporated into the treatment armamentarium. The rates of recurrence and progression after locoregional therapies are significant, what highlights the need to explore systemic agents for preventing or delaying these negative outcomes. Recently, sorafenib was shown to benefit patients with unresectable HCC under transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) by delaying tumor progression and prolonging time to vascular invasion and extrahepatic spread. Although this result was reported in patients with intermediate stage, it provides background to test the strategy of combining systemic treatment plus TACE as a bridge therapy to HCC patients awaiting liver transplantation, for which the risk of dropout due to tumor progression impairs the possibility of cure.     

Role of radiotherapy in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma:A systematic review

Many patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) present with advanced disease,not amenable to curative therapies such as surgery,transplantation or radiofrequency ablation. Treatment options for this group of patients include transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) and radiation therapy. Especially TACE,delivering a highly concentrated dose of chemotherapy to tumor cells while minimizing systemic toxicity of chemotherapy,has given favorable results on local control and survival. Radiotherapy,as a therapeutic modality of internal radiation therapy with radioisotopes,has also achieved efficacious tumor control in advanced disease. On the contrary,the role of external beam radiotherapy for HCC has been limited in the past,due to the low tolerance of surrounding normal liver parenchyma. However,technological innovations in the field of radiotherapy treatment planning and delivery,have provided the means of delivering radical doses to the tumor,while sparing normal tissues. Advanced and highly conformal radiotherapy approaches such as stereotactic body radiotherapy and proton therapy,evaluated for efficacy and safety for HCC,report encouraging results. In this review,we present the role of radiotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma patients not suitable for radical treatment.     

Transarterial radioembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: An update and perspectives

In the last decade trans-arterial radioembolization has given promising results in the treatment of patients with intermediate or advanced stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), both in terms of disease control and tolerability profile. This technique consists of the selective intra-arterial administration of microspheres loaded with a radioactive compound (usually Yttrium⁹⁰), and exerts its therapeutic effect through the radiation carried by these microspheres. A careful and meticulous selection of patients is crucial before performing the radioembolization to correctly perform the procedure and reduce the incidence of complications. Radioembolization is a technically complex and expensive technique, which has only recently entered clinical practice and is supported by scant results from phase III clinical trials. Nevertheless, it may represent a valid alternative to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the treatment of intermediate-stage HCC patients, as shown by a comparative retrospective assessment that reported a longer time to progression, but not of overall survival, and a more favorable safety profile for radioembolization. In addition, this treatment has reported a higher percentage of tumor shrinkage, if compared to TACE, for pre-transplant downsizing and it represents a promising therapeutic option in patients with large extent of disease and insufficient residual liver volume who are not immediately eligible for surgery. Radioembolization might also be a suitable companion to sorafenib in advanced HCC or it can be used as a potential alternative to this treatment in patients who are not responding or do not tolerate sorafenib.     

Recent advances in multidisciplinary management of hepatocellular carcinoma

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is increasing, and it is currently the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Potentially curative treatment options for HCC include resection, transplantation, and percutaneous ablation, whereas palliative treatments include trans-arterial chemoembolization(TACE), radioembolization, and systemic treatments. Due to the diversity of available treatment options and patients’ presentations, a multidisciplinaryteam should decide clinical management of HCC, according to tumor characteristics and stage of liver disease. Potentially curative treatments are suitable for very-early- and early-stage HCC. However, the vast majority of HCC patients are diagnosed in later stages, where the tumor characteristics or progress of liver disease prevent curative interventions. For patients with intermediate-stage HCC, TACE and radioembolization improve survival and are being evaluated in addition to potentially curative therapies or with systemic targeted therapy. There is currently no effective systemic chemotherapy, immunologic, or hormonal therapy for HCC, and sorafenib is the only approved moleculartargeted treatment for advanced HCC. Other targeted agents are under investigation; trials comparing new agents in combination with sorafenib are ongoing. Combinations of systemic targeted therapies with local treatments are being evaluated for further improvements in HCC patient outcomes. This article provides an updated and comprehensive overview of the current standards and trends in the treatment of HCC.     

Transarterial embolization therapies for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: CEPO review and clinical recommendations

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most deadly cancers in the world and its incidence rate has consistently increased over the past 15 years in Canada. Although transarterial embolization therapies are palliative options commonly used for the treatment of HCC, their efficacy is still controversial. The objective of this guideline is to review the efficacy and safety of transarterial embolization therapies for the treatment of HCC and to develop evidence-based recommendations.

Method

A review of the scientific literature published up to October 2013 was performed. A total of 38 studies were included.

Recommendations

Considering the evidence available to date, the CEPO recommends the following: (i) transarterial chemoembolization therapy (TACE) be considered a standard of practice for the palliative treatment of HCC in eligible patients; (ii) drug-eluting beads (DEB)-TACE be considered an alternative and equivalent treatment to conventional TACE in terms of oncological efficacy (overall survival) and incidence of severe toxicities; (iii) the decision to treat with TACE or DEB-TACE be discussed in tumour boards; (iv) bland embolization (TAE) not be considered for the treatment of HCC; (v) radioembolization (TARE) not be considered outside of a clinical trial setting; and (vi) sorafenib combined with TACE not be considered outside of a clinical trial setting.     

Prospective cohort study of transarterial chemoembolization for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma in 8510 patients

BACKGROUND & AIMS: To elucidate the survival of the patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent transcatheter arterial lipiodol chemoembolization (TACE) and to analyze the factors affecting the survivals. METHODS: During the last 8 years, a nationwide prospective cohort study was performed in 8510 patients with unresectable HCC who underwent TACE using emulsion of lipiodol and anticancer agents followed by gelatin sponge particles as an initial treatment. Exclusion criteria were extrahepatic metastases and/or any previous treatment prior to the present TACE. The primary end point was survival. The survival rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The multivariate analyses for the factors affecting survival were evaluated by the Cox proportional hazard model. The mean follow-up period was 1.77 years. RESULTS: For overall survival rates by TACE, median and 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year survivals were 34 months, 82%, 47%, 26%, and 16%, respectively. Both the degree of liver damage and the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) system proposed by the Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan demonstrated good stratification of survivals (P = .0001). The multivariate analyses showed significant difference in degree of liver damage (P = .0001), alpha-fetoprotein value (P = .0001), maximum tumor size (P = .0001), number of lesions (P = .0001), and portal vein invasion (P = .0001). The last 3 factors could be replaced by TNM stage. The TACE-related mortality rate after the initial therapy was .5%. CONCLUSIONS: TACE showed safe therapeutic modality with a 5-year survival of 26% for unresectable HCC patients. The degrees of liver damage, TNM stage, and alpha-fetoprotein values were independent risk factors for patient survival.     

The Effect of Postoperative TACE on Prognosis of HCC with Microscopic Venous Invasion

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of postoperative adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with microscopic venous invasion. Methodology: Data from 76 patients with HCC who underwent hepatectomy with or without postoperative adjuvant TACE between July 2005 and August 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare survival between the groups and prognostic factors were evaluated by Cox proportional hazard model. Results: The 1-, 3- and 5-year disease- free survival rates were 76.3%, 44.5% and 31.8%, respectively, for the adjuvant TACE group (35 patients) and 60.1%, 39.3% and 21.5%, respectively, for the control group (41 patients). The 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 88.6%, 67.2% and 42.3%, respectively, for the TACE group and 77.5%, 58.0% and 40.5%, respectively, for the control group. Although improving trends of both disease-free survival and overall survival were observed in adjuvant TACE group, there was no significant difference between the two groups (p>0.05). Cox regression analysis revealed that tumor size and differentiation were significant independent prognostic factors. Conclusions: Postoperative adjuvant TACE may improve 1, 3 and 5 year disease-free and overall survival rates of HCC patients with microscopic venous invasion but no statistical significance was found. It can be used as a preventative treatment but not a routine procedure for such patients.     

Novel biomarkers GEP/ABCB5 regulate response to adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization after curative hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) is the most commonly used adjuvant therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) after curative resection. Responses to TACE are variable due to tumor and patient heterogeneity. We had previously demonstrated that expression of Granulin-epithelin precursor(GEP) and ATP-dependent binding cassette(ABC)B5 in liver cancer stem cells was associated with chemoresistance. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between GEP/ABCB5 expression and response to adjuvant TACE after curative resection for HCC. Methods: Patients received adjuvant TACE after curative resection for HCC and patients received curative resection alone were identified from a prospectively collected database. Clinical samples were retrieved for biomarker analysis. Patients were categorized into 3 risk groups according to their GEP/ABCB5 status for survival analysis: low(GEP-/ABCB5-), intermediate(either GEP +/ABCB5-or GEP-/ABCB5 +) and high(GEP +/ABCB5 +). Early recurrence(recurrence within 2 years after resection) and disease-free survival were analyzed. Results: Clinical samples from 44 patients who had followed-up for more than 2 years were retrieved for further biomarker analysis. Among them, 18 received adjuvant TACE and 26 received surgery alone. Patients with adjuvant TACE in the intermediate risk group was associated with significantly better overall survival and 2-year disease-free survival than those who had surgery alone( P = 0.036 and P = 0.011, respectively). Adjuvant TACE did not offer any significant differences in the early recurrence rate, 2-year disease-free survival and overall survival for patients in low and high risk groups. Conclusions: Adjuvant TACE can only provide survival benefits for patients in the intermediate risk group(either GEP +/ABCB5-or GEP-/ABCB5 +). A larger clinical study is warranted to confirm its role in patient selection for adjuvant TACE.     

大肝癌的消融治疗

肝癌是我国最常见的恶性肿瘤之一,当单个肿瘤直径大于5 cm时定义为大肝癌。大肝癌具有肿瘤恶性程度高、易出现肿瘤转移和血管浸润等特点,增加了治疗的难度。外科切除是大肝癌首选的治疗方案,但仅有20%~30%的患者符合手术治疗要求。对于不可切除的大肝癌国内外指南推荐经肝动脉化疗栓塞术(TACE)作为治疗方案,TACE可以控制肿瘤进展并延长患者生存时间,但反复多次的TACE治疗疗效有限,且对患者肝功能造成严重损害,单独的TACE治疗已无法满足临床需求。随着肿瘤消融技术如射频、微波和冷冻消融等不断发展,TACE联合肿瘤消融治疗已成为大肝癌治疗中的一个重要治疗手段。然而目前国内外关于大肝癌消融治疗的疗效仍有较多的争议,因此如何选择合适的消融时机,减少消融术后残留,降低消融术后肿瘤的复发,最终使患者生存获益是目前临床和科研仍需继续探讨的难题。针对以上内容,综述并分析了大肝癌消融治疗的现况、困境及未来发展趋势。     

Transarterial chemoembolization: Evidences from the literature and applications in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the current standard of care for patients with large or multinodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), preserved liver function, absence of cancer-related symptoms and no evidence of vascular invasion or extrahepatic spread (i.e., those classified as intermediate stage according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system). The rationale for TACE is that the intra-arterial injection of a chemotherapeutic drug such as doxorubicin or cisplatin followed by embolization of the blood vessel will result in a strong cytotoxic effect enhanced by ischemia. However, TACE is a very heterogeneous operative technique and varies in terms of chemotherapeutic agents, treatment devices and schedule. In order to overcome the major drawbacks of conventional TACE (cTACE), non-resorbable drug-eluting beads (DEBs) loaded with cytotoxic drugs have been developed. DEBs are able to slowly release the drug upon injection and increase the intensity and duration of ischemia while enhancing the drug delivery to the tumor. Unfortunately, despite the theoretical advantages of this new device and the promising results of the pivotal studies, definitive data in favor of its superiority over cTACE are still lacking. The recommendation for TACE as the standard-of-care for intermediate-stage HCC is based on the demonstration of improved survival compared with best supportive care or suboptimal therapies in a meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials, but other therapeutic options (namely, surgery and radioembolization) proved competitive in selected subsets of intermediate HCC patients. Other potential fields of application of TACE in hepato-oncology are the pre-transplant setting (as downstaging/bridging treatment) and the early stage (in patients unsuitable to curative therapy). The potential of TACE in selected advanced patients with segmental portal vein thrombosis and preserved liver function deserves further reports.     

介入治疗原发性肝细胞癌合并门静脉癌栓66例的临床分析

目的探讨介入治疗原发性肝癌(hepatic cell carcinoma,HCC)合并门静脉癌栓(portal vein tumor thrombus,PVTT)的临床疗效与安全性。方法收集第三军医大学大坪医院收治的66例HCC患者,按照随机数字表法分为联合治疗组和经导管动脉化疗检塞术(TACE)治疗组。联合治疗组采用TACE联合门静脉化疗(PVC)治疗,TACE治疗组采用单独TACE治疗,比较两组患者的临床疗效。结果治疗半年后联合治疗组治疗的有效率和PVTT缩小率分别为72.73%和78.79%,显著高于TACE治疗组的63.64%和51.52%(P0.05)。联合治疗组患者的中位生存时间及半年、1年、2年生存率均较TACE治疗组高(P0.05)。1个月后联合治疗组的毒副反应发生率为36.36%,显著低于TACE治疗组的81.82%(P0.05)。治疗半年后联合治疗组和TACE治疗组的AFP分别为(425.36±113.32)IU/ml和(725.32±113.32)IU/ml(P0.05)。结论 TACE联合PVC治疗HCC合并PVTT可提高中、晚期HCC患者治疗的有效率,改善患者的生存质量,还可降低抗癌药所产生的毒副反应和AFP水平。