Early evaluation of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization-refractory hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

There is no standard therapy for patients with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE)-refractory hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study examined whether evaluating the tumor effect (TE) at 1?week after TACE was useful for predicting refractoriness to TACE.

Methods

We performed a historical cohort study involving 54 patients and 119 tumors. TE was evaluated at 1?week and 3?months after TACE, and an overall evaluation was also performed at 3?months based on the response evaluation criteria in cancer of the liver.

Results

Among 45 tumors evaluated as TE2 at 1?week, 43 tumors (95.6%) were classified as TE1 or TE2 at 3?months. Of the 24 patients whose tumors were categorized as TE2 at 1?week, none achieved a complete or partial response.

Conclusions

Evaluating the TE at 1?week after TACE is useful for the early diagnosis of TACE-refractory HCC and allows alternative treatment options, such as sorafenib, to be employed before the disease progresses.