New therapy complementary to transcatheter arterial embolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

A new therapy complementary to transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) in which anticancer agents are percutaneously injected into the tumor under ultrasound guidance (percutaneous injection chemotherapy combined with TAE; TAE-PICT) has been developed and found to be effective. A total of 68 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) nodules in 50 patients were treated with TAE-PICT, and the complications were evaluated. Among those with solitary HCC nodules < or = 5 cm in diameter, 17 were treated with TAE-PICT and 24 with only TAE in a prospective comparative study. No major complications were seen, and the anticancer drugs could still be found in the tumor 3 months after injection. A significantly higher cumulative survival rate (p= 0.03961) and significantly higher cumulative recurrence-free survival rate (p = 0.00647) were achieved in patients treated with TAE-PICT than in those treated with TAE alone.