Predictive Factors for the Effectiveness of Repeated Lines of Transarterial Chemoembolization in the Treatment of Localized Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the world. The progression of HCC after previously effective TACE is quite often local. This article describes our experience with repeated TACE in patients with local progression of HCC. We analyzed 125 patients with HCC, for the period from 2009 to 2015. TACE was performed for intrahepatic manifestations of HCC. Progression of HCC after TACE-1 was observed in 88.8 % (n = 111) patients. Disease progression after TACE‑2 was registered in 40 (32 %) patients. TACE‑3 was performed in 8 (6.4 %) patients. The analysis showed that isolated local intrahepatic progression of HCC with the growth of intrahepatic tumor nodes previously subjected to TACE‑1 (without new foci) does not affect OS. The efficiency of re-embolization (TACE‑2) is somewhat lower than for TACE of the first stage. Independent factors of overall survival increase in patients receiving TACE: satisfactory objective status according to ECOG, efficacy of the first stage of TACE, late progression and objective effect after re-embolization.