A Single-Center Retrospective Comparison of Doxorubicin-Loaded HepaSphere Transarterial Chemoembolization with Conventional Transarterial Chemoembolization for Patients with Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Clinical application of gelatin sponge microparticles-transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with synchronous antigen-presenting dendritic cell sequential reinfusion for treatment of advanced large liver cancer: A single-center, prospective, non-randomized, controlled trial

To assess the clinical efficacy and safety of gelatin sponge microparticles-transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (GSMs-TACE) plus synchronous antigen-presenting dendritic cell (DC) sequential reinfusion for advanced large liver cancer (LC).Patients with large LC were assigned to the experimental (combined sequential DC therapy) or control group. All patients received standardized GSMs-TACE. In the experimental group, 60 mL of peripheral blood was collected for in vitro culture of DCs (10-14 days). Then, intravenous reinfusion was conducted 3 times within 10, 20, and 30 days after surgery. Adverse reactions during the treatment were recorded and evaluated. The overall survival, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization frequency, and physical score (PS) were calculated.The median survival time of the experimental group was significantly longer than that of the control group. There were significant differences in median progression-free survival between the 2 groups (P < .05) and the objective effective rate at 1 and 6 months and 1 year (P < .05), but not 2 years (P > .05). The PSs of 2 groups were significantly improved at 1 month after GSMs-TACE, with more obvious improvement in the experimental group (P < .05).GSMs-TACE plus synchronous DC sequential reinfusion significantly prolonged the median survival time, improved the tumor response rate and PS, prolonged progression-free survival, and reduced intervention frequency. GSMs-TACE plus synchronous DC sequential reinfusion treatment is suitable for comprehensive treatment of patients with advanced larger LC in China.

Comparison of Treatment Response, Survival Profiles, as Well as Safety Profiles Between CalliSpheres® Microsphere Transarterial Chemoembolization and Conventional Transarterial Chemoembolization in Huge Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose

CalliSpheres^® microspheres (CSM) are the first drug-eluting beads (DEB) developed in China. This study aimed to compare treatment response, survival, and safety profiles between DEB transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) with CSM and conventional TACE (cTACE) in huge hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Methods

A total of 71 patients with huge HCC who underwent DEB-TACE or cTACE were consecutively enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. Treatment response was assessed at first month (M1), third month (M3), and sixth month (M6) after TACE therapy; progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated; liver function indexes were recorded before TACE operation (M0), at first week (W1), M1 and M6 after TACE therapy; adverse events which occurred after TACE operation were recorded.

Results

DEB-TACE presented with higher objective response rate (60.0% vs. 29.7%, p < 0.05) and disease control rate (86.7% vs. 59.4%, p < 0.05) compared with cTACE at M3. Regarding survival profiles, PFS [median: 3.3 months (95% CI: 2.8–3.7) vs. 2.1 months (95% CI: 1.7–2.5)] as well as OS [median: 7.8 months (95% CI: 4.6–11.0) vs. 5.7 months (95% CI: 5.0–6.3)] were longer in DEB-TACE group compared with cTACE group (both p < 0.01). Multivariate Cox’s regression further illustrated that DEB-TACE vs. cTACE was an independent protective factor for PFS and OS (both p < 0.01). As for safety profiles, patients’ liver function injury was reduced in the DEB-TACE group compared with the cTACE group. The incidence of fever was lower, and CINV was less severe in the DEB-TACE group compared with the cTACE group (both p < 0.05), while no difference in occurrence of liver abscess, increase of ascites, or moderate pain between two groups was observed.

Conclusion

DEB-TACE with CSM presents with better treatment response, survival profiles, as well as safety profiles compared with cTACE in treatment for huge HCC patients.

Assessment of efficacy and safety by CalliSpheres versus HepaSpheres for drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization in unresectable large hepatocellular carcinoma patients

This study aimed to compare efficacy and safety of HepaSpheres and CalliSpheres in unresectable large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. One hundred and twenty-seven unresectable large HCC patients receiving drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) treatment with CalliSpheres or HepaSpheres microspheres were analyzed. Treatment response, Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score, adverse events, main liver function indexes, time to progression (TTP), and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Objective response rate (82.7% vs. 63.8%, p=.030) and disease control rate (100.0% vs. 91.5%, p=.030) were increased in CalliSpheres group compared to HepaSpheres group at 1 month after treatment, while no difference was found between the two groups regarding treatment response at 3 or 6 months post treatment (all p>.05). The KPS score at 1, 3, and 6 months was similar between the two groups (all p>.05). As for the liver function, the ALT, AST, ALB, and TBIL levels at 7 and 30 days were of no difference between the two groups (all p>.05). In addition, the adverse events including nausea/vomiting, pain, fever, myelosuppression, biloma, and abscess were of no difference between the two groups, either (all p>.05). In terms of survival profile, there was no difference regarding TTP (6.3 months (95%CI: 5.9-6.6 months) vs. 6.0 months (95%CI: 5.6-6.4 months), p=.082) or OS (23.0 months (95%CI: 20.1-25.9 months) vs. 22.0 months (95%CI: 20.2-23.8 months), p=.571) between the two groups. In conclusion, CalliSpheres seems to be superior in short-term efficacy and equal in long-term efficacy as well as safety compared to HepaSpheres for DEB-TACE treatment in unresectable large HCC patients.

Repeated transarterial chemoembolization with epirubicin-loaded superabsorbent polymer microspheres vs. conventional transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes and the impact of repeated conventional transarterial chemoembolization (C-TACE) and transarterial chemoembolization with epirubicin-loaded superabsorbent polymer embolics (SAP-TACE) on liver function in TACE-naïve patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Overall, 155 consecutive patients with HCC received either C-TACE or SAP-TACE. The first cohort (n=71), treated between 2011 and 2014, received C-TACE; the second cohort (n=84), treated between 2014 and 2016, received SAP-TACE. Overall survival and deterioration of liver function were compared between the two cohorts. The 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival rates and median survival times were 74, 50, 35% and 26 months in the C-TACE cohort and 75, 60, 39% and 28 months in the SAP-TACE cohort, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups (P=0.289). Age <70 years, Child-Pugh class A, alpha-fetoprotein <400 ng/ml and des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin <1,000 mAU/ml were identified as favorable prognostic factors in multivariate analysis. In the subgroup of patients with a Child-Pugh score of 5, survival was 29 months for C-TACE vs. 55 months for SAP-TACE (P<0.05). In the C-TACE cohort, the median Child-Pugh score was 6 after 3 cycles and 7 after 5 cycles of TACE, and the score worsened significantly (before vs. 3 cycles, P<0.05; before vs. 5 cycles, P<0.05). In the SAP-TACE cohort, the median Child-Pugh score was 6 after 3 and 5 cycles of TACE, and the score did not worsen during the treatment cycles. There were no differences in overall survival between repeated C-TACE and SAP-TACE in TACE-naïve patients with HCC. However, liver function deterioration was more evident in patients treated with C-TACE than in those treated with SAP-TACE.

Initial Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE) Using HepaSpheres 20-40 µm and Subsequent Lipiodol TACE in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma > 5 cm

Purpose: To investigate clinical outcomes of drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) using HepaSpheres 20–40 µm in diameter and subsequent cisplatin-based lipiodol TACE (Cis-TACE) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) > 5 cm. Materials and Methods: This study included 39 consecutive patients (34 men, 5 women; mean age, 63.5 years; range, 39–80 years) who underwent DEB-TACE using HepaSpheres 20–40 µm as first-line treatment for HCC > 5 cm (mean diameter, 8.2 cm; range, 5.1–13 cm) between September 2018 and August 2019. Patients with new tumors, residual tumors, or tumor growth after initial DEB-TACE underwent subsequent Cis-TACE. Results: All 39 patients underwent initial DEB-TACE successfully, with 35 (89.7%) and three (7.7%) patients experiencing minor and major complications, respectively. After initial DEB-TACE, one patient (2.6%) achieved complete response (CR), 35 (89.7%) achieved partial response (PR), and three (7.7%) experienced progressive disease (PD). During a median follow-up period of 14.4 months (range, 0.6–23 months), 23 patients underwent Cis-TACE, with 11, three, and nine achieving CR, PR, and PD, respectively. The median overall survival time was 20.9 months (95% confidence interval (CI), 18.6–23.2 months), the median time to progression was 8.8 months (95% CI, 6.5–11.1 months), and the median time to local tumor recurrence was 16 months (95% CI, 7.4–24.6 months). Conclusions: DEB-TACE using HepaSpheres 20–40 µm in diameter can be a safe and effective initial treatment method in patients with HCC > 5 cm. Subsequent Cis-TACE constitutes a good adjuvant method to enhance tumor response after initial DEB-TACE.

Prediction of tumor response via a pretreatment MRI radiomics-based nomogram in HCC treated with TACE

Objectives

To develop and validate a pre-transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) MRI-based radiomics model for predicting tumor response in intermediate-advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.

Materials

Ninety-nine intermediate-advanced HCC patients (69 for training, 30 for validation) treated with TACE were enrolled. MRI examinations were performed before TACE, and the efficacy was evaluated according to the mRECIST criterion 3 months after TACE. A total of 396 radiomics features were extracted from T2-weighted pre-TACE images, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was applied to feature selection and model construction. The performance of the model was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, and decision curves.

Results

The AFP value, Child-Pugh score, and BCLC stage showed a significant difference between the TACE response (TR) and non-TACE response (nTR) patients. Six radiomics features were selected by LASSO and the radiomics score (Rad-score) was calculated as the sum of each feature multiplied by the non-zero coefficient from LASSO. The AUCs of the ROC curve based on Rad-score were 0.812 and 0.866 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. To improve the diagnostic efficiency, the Rad-score was further integrated with the above clinical indicators to form a novel predictive nomogram. Results suggested that the AUC increased to 0.861 and 0.884 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. Decision curve analysis showed that the radiomics nomogram was clinically useful.

Conclusion

The radiomics and clinical indicator-based predictive nomogram can well predict TR in intermediate-advanced HCC and can further be applied for auxiliary diagnosis of clinical prognosis.

Key Points

• The therapeutic outcome of TACE varies greatly even for patients with the same clinicopathologic features.

• Radiomics showed excellent performance in predicting the TACE response.

• Decision curves demonstrated that the novel predictive model based on the radiomics signature and clinical indicators has great clinical utility.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00330-021-07910-0.

Advances in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma using drug-eluting beads

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common types of malignant tumor. Although radical surgery and liver transplantation are possible cures for the disease, most patients are beyond the optimum stage for radical treatment at the time of diagnosis. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the first choice of treatment for advanced HCC. Owing to the widespread use of conventional TACE (cTACE), the problems with this treatment cannot be ignored. Drug-eluting beads (DEBs), a new type of embolization material, appear to overcome the problems of cTACE, and they have other advantages such as synchronous controlled continuous drug release after chemotherapy and embolization and low blood concentrations after treatment. This review summarizes the recent advances in the use of DEB-TACE to treat HCC.

Drug-Eluting Microsphere Versus Cisplatin-Based Transarterial Chemoembolization for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Propensity Score-Matched Analysis

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with 30- to 60-μm drug-eluting microspheres with those of cisplatin-based TACE in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS. This retrospective single-center study included 607 patients who underwent drug-eluting microsphere (30-60 μm, loaded with doxorubicin) TACE (n = 119) or cisplatin-based TACE (n = 488) as first-line treatment of unresectable HCC between April 2017 and April 2018. With a propensity model correcting for selection bias, patients were selected from each treatment group to compare the effectiveness of drug-eluting microsphere TACE with that of cisplatin TACE. RESULTS. In the entire study population, the rates of major complications (1.7% vs 1.8%, p > 0.999), objective tumor response (80.7% vs 79.7%, p = 0.899), and time to progression (p = 0.536) were not significantly different between the drug-eluting microsphere TACE and cisplatin TACE groups. However, the drug-eluting microsphere TACE group had significantly higher objective tumor regression rates in subgroups with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C disease (p = 0.033) and a maximal tumor size larger than 5 cm (p = 0.011). After adjustment by propensity score matching, the rates of major complications, objective tumor response, and time to progression remained similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION. Both TACE with 30- to 60-μm drug-eluting microspheres and cisplatin TACE were safe and effective for treating unresectable HCC. In patients with BCLC stage C disease and patients with large (> 5 cm) HCCs, TACE with 30- to 60-μm drug-eluting micro-spheres may have a better chance of obtaining an objective tumor response than conventional TACE performed with the protocol used in this study.

Transarterial strategies for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: A systematic review

Conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE), drug-eluting beads (DEB-TACE) and transarterial radioembolization (TARE) are alternative strategies for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, which of these strategies is the best is still controversial. This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of DEB-TACE, TARE and cTACE in terms of overall survival (OS), tumor response and complications. A literature search was conducted using the EMBASE, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases from inception until July 2019 with no language restrictions. The primary outcome was overall survival, and the secondary outcomes included complete response and local recurrence. The comparison of DEB-TACE with cTACE indicated that DEB-TACE has a better OS at 1 year (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.67–0.93, p = 0.006), 2 years (RR 0.89; 95% CI 0.81–0.99, p = 0.046), and 3 years (RR 0.89; 95% CI 0.81–0.99, p = 0.035). The comparison of TARE with cTACE indicated that TARE has a better OS than cTACE at 2 years (RR 0.87; 95% CI 0.80–0.95, p = 0.003) and 3 years (RR 0.90; 95% CI 0.85–0.96, p = 0.001). The comparison of DEB-TACE with TARE indicated that DEB-TACE has a better OS than TARE at 2 years (RR 0.40; 95% CI 0.19–0.84, p = 0.016). The current meta-analysis suggests that DEB-TACE is superior to both TARE and cTACE in terms of OS. TARE has significantly lower complications than both DEB-TACE and cTACE for patients with HCC. Further multicenter, well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed, especially for evaluating DEB-TACE versus TARE.

Five-Years Outcome Analysis of 142 Consecutive Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Treated with Doxorubicin Eluting Microspheres 30-60 μm: Results from a Single-Centre Prospective Phase II Trial

PURPOSE

To assess prospectively long-term results of doxorubicin-loaded HepaSphere 30-60 μm in consecutive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) not amenable to curative treatments.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Single-center study from June 2011 to December 2015 in 151 patients treated with 75 mg of doxorubicin per HepaSphere vial. Baseline: Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer BCLC A/B was 49.3%/50.7%, and median diameter 6.1 cm (mean 6.7 ± 2.0). Liver function, local response (mRECIST), liver time to progression (LTTP), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and adverse events (AEs) were recorded.

RESULTS

Final analysis included 142 patients with median follow-up of 46.8 months (range 4-72) without grade 4/5 AEs, and 30-day mortality was 0%. Mean number of scheduled treatments was 2.6 (range 1-3) and on demand 3 (range 1-8). Complete response for single tumor ≤ 5 cm was 75.0% and 66.7% for Child A and Child B, while for > 5 cm was 28.6% and 11.8%, respectively. OS was 31.0 months (mean 33.3 ± 15.2; range 8-69), notably for BCLC A 41 months (mean 41.1 ± 15.3; range 13-69) and for BCLC B 26.0 (mean 26.0 ± 10.5; range 8-51). OS at 1, 3 and 5 years: 95.8%, 75.7% and 21.4% for BCLC A, and 94.4%, 36.1% and 2.7% for BCLC B. Median LTTP for BCLC A was 11 months (mean 11.9 ± 4.7; range 3-24) and 7.5 for BCLC B (mean 7.9 ± 2.9). Local response was significant for OS and LTTP (p < 0.0001), while size and lesion number affected LPFS and OS (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

HepaSphere 30-60 μm loaded with doxorubicin provides a safe and effective treatment option for patients with HCC.

Transarterial chemoembolization with pirarubicin-eluting microspheres in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: Preliminary results

Purpose

To present the early results of pirarubicin-eluting microsphere transarterial chemoembolization (PE-TACE) for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials and methods

We retrospectively analyzed 55 consecutive patients with HCC who received PE-TACE between April 1, 2015 and August 30, 2016. The complication rate, tumor response rate, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were analyzed.

Results

Adverse events were generally mild and included abdominal pain and fever, although a major complication was reported in 1 patient (1.8%). During a median follow-up of 10.0 months (range, 3.0–24.0 months), 14 patients (25.5%) achieved a complete tumor response, 25 (45.5%) had a partial response, 9 (16.4%) showed stable disease, and 7 (12.7%) had disease progression. The 1-month overall response rate was 70.9%, and the local tumor response rate was 89.0%. The 1-month tumor response rate was 100% for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage A or B disease and 62.8% for BCLC stage C disease. The median PFS was 6.1 months (95% confidence interval [95%CI], 3.4–8.8 months; range, 1.0–24.0 months). The median OS was 11.0 months (95%CI, 7.1–14.9 months; range, 2.0–24.0 months). Kaplan-Meier analysis (log-rank test) found significant differences in OS between patients grouped by tumor number (P = 0.006), tumor size (P = 0.035), and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score (P = 0.005). The tumor number (1 vs. ≥2) was the only factor independently associated with OS (hazard ratio [HR], 2.867; 95%CI, 1.330–6.181; P = 0.007).

Conclusions

PE-TACE for unresectable HCC may be safe, with favorable tumor response rates and survival time, especially in patients with a single large tumor. Longer follow-up using a larger series is necessary to confirm these preliminary results.

Recent advances in medical management of hepatocellular carcinoma

Transcatheter arterial therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have developed during the last decade. A fine powder formulation of cisplatin and the new platinum agent miriplatin became standard medicines in addition to anthracyclines in transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in Japan. Recent prospective and retrospective studies supported the usefulness of platinum agents as a chemotherapeutic at the time of varied TACE therapy. Although balloon-occluded TACE is an effective therapy for localized HCC and drug-eluting microspheres seemed to show a higher response rate in certain HCCs, the definite advantages of those procedures still remain uncertain. Intermediate stage HCC, or Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B, is regarded as a heterogeneous category with a wide spectrum of tumors and patients, and several subclassifications of the stage have been proposed to show different prognoses; there are also different recommended therapies in each subgroup. Authors have subclassified patients based on combinations of tumor size, tumor number, and liver function, with or without performance status. Because of differences of available medical resources and techniques in treatment procedures between countries, the most ideal and useful subgrouping remains inconclusive at present. Recently, a few systemic chemotherapies proved to be effective for advanced stage HCC in phase III studies: lenvatinib as the first line of therapy, and regorafenib, cabozantinib, and ramucirumab as second-line therapy. Other molecular-targeted and immune-oncological medicines are expected to follow in the near future. Some studies have suggested an advantage of early introduction of molecular-targeted therapy for TACE-resistant HCC in the intermediate stage.

Update on Transarterial Chemoembolization with Drug-Eluting Microspheres for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Conventional transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (c-TACE) is a widely used first-line palliative treatment for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite the effectiveness of c-TACE, to date, technique and procedure scheduling has not yet been standardized. Drug-eluting microspheres (DEMs) were therefore introduced to ensure more sustained and tumor-selective drug delivery for permanent embolization. These DEMs can load various drugs and release them in a sustained manner over a prolonged period. This approach ensures the delivery of high concentrations of chemotherapeutic agents to tumors, without increasing systemic concentrations, and promote tumor ischemia and necrosis. This review summarizes the recent advances in the use of DEM-TACE to treat HCC.

Efficacy and safety profile of drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization by CalliSpheres® beads in Chinese hepatocellular carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of drug eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) treatment by CalliSpheres® in Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as well as the predicting factors for response.

METHODS

99 patients with HCC were consecutively enrolled in this study. All participants were treated by CalliSpheres® DEB-TACE. Clinical response was evaluated according to modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) criteria. Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) was used to assess the adverse events and liver dysfunction during and after the operation.

RESULTS

Post treatment, 16 patients (16.2%) achieved CR and 59 (59.6%) achieved PR, the ORR was 75.8%. Subgroup analysis showed that patients with higher BCLC stage were of worse CR and ORR rates, and the CR as well as ORR between patients with cTACE history and patients without cTACE history were similar. Univariate logistic regression analysis displayed that number of nodules > 3, higher BCLC stage and previous cTACE might be correlated with worse ORR but with no statistical significance. As to liver function, CTCAE grades of laboratory indexes for liver function were increased at 1 week compared to baseline and recovered to the baseline grades at 1-3 months post operation. Besides, most of the common adverse events were light and moderate in our study.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, DEB-TACE by CalliSpheres® was efficient and well tolerated in Chinese HCC patients, and BCLC stage, number of nodules and cTACE history were possibly correlated with treatment response.

Cryoablation with drug-loaded bead embolization in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: safety and efficacy analysis

This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of drug-eluting bead (DEB) embolization (DEB-TACE) when combined with cryoablation in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The study was a single-center randomized controlled trial comprised of 60 patients with HCC conducted between August 2015 and October 2017. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: DEB-TACE combined with cryoablation (DEB-TACE-Cryo group) or cryoablation alone (Cryo group). Inter-group differences in overall survival, progression-free survival, and adverse reactions were assessed. The operative success rates were 82.7% and 77.4% in the DEB-TACE-Cryo group and Cryo group, respectively, with no operative mortality. The overall survival and progression-free survival in the DEB-TACE-Cryo group were significantly higher than those in the Cryo group (16.8 months vs.13.4 months, P = 0.0493; 8.1 months vs. 6.0 months, P = 0.0089, respectively). The postoperative complications in the two groups were rated as grade 1 or grade 2, according to guidelines set by the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Version 4.0 (CTCAE V4.0). We demonstrated that DEB-TACE combined with cryoablation was effective, well tolerated, and had a low complication rate. Therefore, this combination therapy may be a better choice for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Short-term efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization with epirubicin-loaded superabsorbent polymer microspheres for hepatocellular carcinoma: comparison with conventional transarterial chemoembolization

PURPOSE

This study aimed to compare the short-term efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with epirubicin-loaded superabsorbent polymer embolics (SAP) and conventional TACE in TACE-naïve patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Fifty consecutive patients (mean age, 72.8 years; hepatitis C, 46%; BCLC-A or B, 52% or 48%) treated with TACE with SAP during 2013-2015 and 55 consecutive patients (mean age, 71.8 years; hepatitis C, 40%; BCLC-A or B, 51% or 49%) treated with conventional TACE during 2011-2013 were evaluated. Safety evaluations were based on CTCAE ver. 4.0. Short-term efficacies, i.e., at 1 month after TACE, were assessed using the European Association for the Study of the Liver criteria. Overall survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Short-term response markers were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the incidence of any grade of adverse events. The objective response rates were 50% and 62% in patients treated with TACE with SAP and with conventional TACE, respectively (P = 0.358). The overall survival rates were not significantly different (P = 0.810); the 1-year survival rates and the median survival time of the patients treated with TACE with SAP and with conventional TACE were 76% and 74%, and 18 months and 21 months, respectively. Overall survival was related to the short-term response. An alpha-fetoprotein level <1,000 ng/mL was a significant short-term response marker on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

For TACE-naïve patients, TACE with SAP and conventional TACE had comparable safety and short-term efficacies.

Drug-eluting beads versus conventional chemoembolization for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Despite the promising results of earlier studies, a clear superiority of drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization over conventional chemoembolization in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients has not been established yet.

AIMS

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the two treatments in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

METHODS

Computerized bibliographic search on the main databases was performed. One-year, two-year, three-year survival rates were analyzed. Hazard ratios from Kaplan-Meier curves were extracted in order to perform an unbiased comparison of survival estimates. Objective response and severe adverse event rate were analyzed too.

RESULTS

Four randomized-controlled trials and 8 observational studies with 1449 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Non-significant trends in favor of drug-eluting beads chemoembolization were observed as for 1-year (odds ratio: 0.76, 0.48-1.21, p=0.25), 2-year (odds ratio: 0.68, 0.42-1.12, p=0.13) and 3-year survival (odds ratio: 0.57, 0.32-1.01, p=0.06). Meta-analysis of plotted hazard ratios confirmed this trend (hazard ratio: 0.86, 0.71-1.03, p=0.10). Pooled data of objective response showed no significant difference between the two treatments (odds ratio: 1.21, 0.69-2.12, p=0.51). No statistically significant difference in adverse events was registered (odds ratio: 0.85, 0.60-1.20, p=0.36).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results stand for a non-superiority of drug-eluting beads chemoembolization with respect to conventional chemoembolization in hepatocarcinoma patients.