Transarterial chemoembolization in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Stage 0/A hepatocellular carcinoma

To evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage 0 and A hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).

Between January 2001 and September 2011, 129 patients with BCLC stage 0 and stage A HCC who underwent TACE were retrospectively enrolled. Patient characteristics, routine computed tomography and TACE findings, survival time and 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates, risk factors for mortality, and survival rates according to the number of risk factors were assessed.

The mean size of HCC tumors was 2.4 ± 1.1 cm, and the mean number of TACE procedures performed was 2.5 ± 2.1. The mean overall survival time and 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates were 80.6 ± 4.9 mo and 91%, 63% and 49%, respectively. In the Cox regression analysis, a Child-Pugh score > 5 (P = 0.005, OR = 3.86), presence of arterio-venous shunt (P = 0.032, OR = 4.41), amount of lipiodol used (> 7 mL; P = 0.013, OR = 3.51), and female gender (P = 0.008, OR = 3.47) were risk factors for mortality. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates according to the number of risk factors present were 96%, 87% and 87% (no risk factors), 89%, 65%, and 35% (1 risk factor), 96%, 48% and unavailable (2 risk factors), and 63%, 17%, and 0% (3 risk factors), respectively (P < 0.001).

TACE may be used as curative-intent therapy in patients with BCLC stage 0 and stage A HCC. The Child-Pugh score, arterio-venous shunt, amount of lipiodol used, and gender were related to mortality after TACE.