Transarterial Chemoembolization Treatment Paradigms for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 90% of liver cancer cases worldwide and is currently the most quickly increasing cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The 5-year survival rate for primary liver cancer is estimated to be below 20%, and HCC mortality is expected to increase by 41% by 2040. Currently, surgical resection is the first-line approach to definitive treatment of early-stage HCC. However, the majority of patients present with late-stage, unresectable disease due to the asymptomatic nature of early HCC. For patients who present with unresectable HCC, locoregional therapies such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) represent an alternative approach to HCC treatment. TACE is a minimally invasive, catheter-based technique that allows for targeted delivery of chemotherapy to tumor sites while occluding tumor-feeding blood vessels. In appropriately selected patients, outcomes for TACE therapy have been shown to be more favorable than supportive care or conservative management. The increasing incidence and mortality of HCC, in addition to the late-stage presentation of most HCC patients, demonstrates the need to expand the role of locoregional therapies in the treatment of HCC. TACE represents an appealing approach to HCC management, including disease control, palliation, and potentially curative-intent strategies. In this review, we will describe the current utility of TACE in the treatment of HCC, characterize the outcomes of patients treated with TACE across different HCC stages, and outline future applications of TACE in the treatment paradigm.

Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma; liver cancers; transarterial chemoembolization.

Figure 1

This figure illustrates the general technique used in TACE therapy. In TACE, a catheter is guided through the hepatic artery to the site of the tumor. Localized therapeutic agents are then delivered directly to tumor parenchyma while sparing healthy liver tissue.