Combined transarterial chemoembolization and microwave ablation versus transarterial chemoembolization in BCLC stage...

We aimed to compare the clinical effectiveness of combination therapy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and microwave ablation (MWA) with TACE monotherapy in BCLC stage B HCC patients with tumor size ≤7 cm and tumor number ≤5.

We retrospectively reviewed 150 BCLC stage B HCC patients who had received TACE monotherapy or TACE-MWA combination therapy in our hospital from March 2007 to April 2016. The patients were matched by propensity score at the ratio of 1:2 by optimal method. The median follow-up period was 16 months. The overall survival, tumor response and progression-free survival were compared between the two groups by Kaplan-Meier method and Log rank test.

Tumor response (complete or partial response or stable disease) rates at 6, 12, 18, 24 months were 55.5%, 37.3%, 21.3%, 15.8% for TACE group, and 74%, 47.8%, 35%, 31.8% for TACE-MWA group, respectively. The survival rates at 1, 3, 5 years were 77.5%, 42.1%, 21% for TACE group and 93.1%, 79%, 67.7% for TACE-MWA group, respectively. Compared with TACE group, the TACE-MWA group had significantly improved progression-free survival (P = 0.044) and overall survival (P = 0.002).

TACE-MWA combination therapy has better clinical effectiveness than TACE monotherapy in BCLC stage B patients with tumor size ≤7 cm and tumor number ≤5.