Balloon-Assisted Transarterial Chemoembolization: A Nascent Strategy for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The majority of newly diagnosed patients are not eligible for curative options, and thus, transarterial therapies such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) play a central role in prolonging survival for the majority of patients with liver-confined HCC. Recent developments in microcatheter technology have allowed for increasingly localized intratumoral administration of chemotherapeutic agents as a result of lower profile catheters and occlusion balloon-catheter systems. The purpose of this review is to describe the current state of balloon-assisted transarterial chemoembolization (B-TACE), a nascent transarterial locoregional therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HCC that may confer benefit over conventional TACE (cTACE) in selected patients.