Evaluation of different scoring systems for repeating Transarterial Chemoembolization in Egyptian patients with...

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) have a diverse range of outcomes due to their high degree of heterogeneity. Therefore, different predictive scoring systems have been created to assist in decision-making regarding retreatment with TACE. We compared the predictive capabilities of different scoring systems, such as ART, ABCR, and SNACOR, for prediction of the outcome of subsequent TACE in HCC patients.

In this retrospective study, the three scoring systems were compared for their capability of predicting the outcome of repeating TACE in 149 HCC patients treated at the National Liver Institute, Egypt, between January 2017 and December 2019. We used the likelihood ratio to select the model with the highest predictive capability for overall survival (OS).

According to our data, the amount of tumor, the change in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage following TACE, and the SNACOR score (with a 95% confidence range for HR 1.0305-1.256 and p-value = 0.0106) were the most predictive variables. It was also shown that the ABCR score was a good predictor of survival (90 patients had an ABCR score ≤ 0 with a P- value <0.0001, 56 patients had 0 < ABCR < 4 with a P-value <0.0001, and the ART score was not useful in predicting OS (P-value = 0.18).

The SNACOR score is the most predictive score for OS and would be the most helpful scoring system in decision-making regarding retreatment with TACE.