Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization: history for more than 30 years

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a minimally invasive technique to treat liver tumors, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). TACE was used in early times to treat liver tumor patients with emergencies caused by symptomatic humoral hypercalcemia and develops gradually from the procedures of diagnostic angiography and transcatheter injection of agents and is in particular performed in the treatment of HCC. Since the beginning of this century, TACE has been used extensively in the palliative treatment of unresectable HCC. In recent years, it is indicated in selected patients with early-stage HCC. This review introduces the evolution of TACE for more than 30 years, its role in comprehensive treatment of HCC, the tendency of its refinement in future, and the combination use of TACE with other local ablative methods for the curative result of HCC.