Roman Kloeckner MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Friederike Prinz, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Christian Ruckes, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Arndt Weinmann, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Christoph Dueber MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Michael Bernhard Pitton MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To compare the overall survival (OS) of patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with lipiodol - based conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE) and drug eluting bead-transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE).

An electronic search of our radiology information system revealed a total of 674 patients receiving TACE between 11/2002 and 07/2013. 520 received cTACE, and 154 received DEB-TACE. In total, 424 patients were excluded due to a tumor entity different from HCC (n=91), liver transplantation following TACE (n=119), lack of histological grading (n=58), incomplete laboratory values (n=15) and other reasons (e.g. previous systemic chemotherapy, previous cisplatin-based TACE) (n=141). Therefore, 250 patients were included for comparative analysis (174 cTACE; 76 DEB-TACE).

Both groups were not significantly different in terms of sex, etiology of liver cirrhosis, overall status (BCLC), liver function (Child-Pugh), portal invasion, tumor load, and tumor grading (all p>0.05). Mean number of treatment sessions was 4±3.1 in the cTACE group versus 2.9±1.8 in the DEB-TACE group. The median survival in the cTACE group was 409 days (95% CI: 321-488 days) compared to 369 days (95% CI: 310-589 days) in the DEB-TACE group (p=0.76). In the subgroup of Child A patients, the median OS was 602 days (484-792 days) for cTACE versus 627 days (364-788 days) for DEB-TACE (p=0.39). In Child B and Child C patients the OS was considerably lower with 223 days (165-315 days) versus 226 days (114-335 days) (p=0.53).

The present study showed no significant difference in OS between cTACE and DEB-TACE in a large and well-selected cohort of HCC-patients.

Currently, there is no firm evidence to prefer DEB-TACE to cTACE. Further prospective randomized trials with a hard endpoint are needed.

Kloeckner, R, Prinz, F, Ruckes, C, Weinmann, A, Dueber, C, Pitton, M, Conventional Transarterial Chemoembolization versus Drug Eluting Bead-Transarterial Chemoembolization for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14011672.html