[Transarterial chemoembolisation in hepatocellular carcinoma]

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common cause of cancer related death. The present review gives an overview on the loco-regional therapy performed by transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).TACE combines two different therapeutic approaches. First, application of chemotherapeutic agents into tumor's feeding vessels and second, selectively de-arterialization by different particle embolization applicated during angiography. Different chemoembolization agents and techniques are described. The methode is save and less invasive. Side effects range from the postembolization syndrom with nausea, vomiting, fever and abdominal pain up to hepatic insufficiency, which is very rare.The aim of the therapy is control clinical symptoms, prolonge progression free survival, stabilize quality of life and survival. Further indications are bridging therapy prior liver transplantation and TACE is used as a neoadjuvant therapy.Thus, TACE plays a role in the therapy of HCC and indication should be tailored to the individual patient's condition by an interdisciplinary tumor board.