Effect of Transarterial Chemoembolization Plus Percutaneous Ethanol Injection or Radiofrequency Ablation for Liver Tumors

Abstract

Lei Chen,1– 3,* Weihua Zhang,1– 3,* Tao Sun,1– 3,* Yanqiao Ren,1– 3 Bo Sun,1– 3 Licheng Zhu,1– 3 Huangxuan Zhao,1,3 Chuansheng Zheng1– 3 1Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China; 2Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Imaging, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Interventional Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Chuansheng Zheng, Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan City, Wuhan, 430022, People’s Republic of China, Tel [phone], Email [email protected] Huangxuan Zhao, Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1277 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan City, Wuhan, 430022, People’s Republic of China, Tel [phone], Email [email protected]: The efficacy of the transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) process combined with percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI, TACE-P) or the radiofrequency ablation (RFA, TACE-R) process was found to be good when used for the treatment of patients suffering from early or intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma (eiHCC). The study was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of the TACE-P with TACE-A processes followed during the treatment of patients with eiHCC.Methods: A total of 241 patients suffering from eiHCC, subjected to TACE-P (147 patients) or TACE-R (94 patients) processes from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018, were retrospectively reviewed and included. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to reduce selection bias.Results: The median overall survival (mOS) and progression-free survival (mPFS) of the TACE-P group were similar to those recorded for the TACE-R group (P> 0.05) before using the PSM technique. Similar results were obtained post the use of the PSM technique. In the subgroup analysis after PSM, patients with single tumor (dimension: ≤ 5 cm), who were subjected to TACE-P-based treatment methods, exhibited worse tumor response than patients subjected to TACE-R-based methods (HR: 1.804, 95% CI: 1.083– 3.005, P=0.023). Seven adverse events were reported. A statistically significant difference for all grades of adverse events (and grade III or IV adverse events) between the two groups (all P> 0.05) was not reported.Conclusion: The benefits and advantages of using the TACE-P based method was similar was those obtained using the TACE-R in patients with eiHCC, especially for patients with a single large tumor or multiple tumors.Keywords: early or intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma, transarterial chemoembolization, percutaneous ethanol injection, radiofrequency ablation, efficacy

Keywords

• early or intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma
• transarterial chemoembolization
• percutaneous ethanol injection
• radiofrequency ablation
• efficacy.