AUTHOR=Wagenpfeil Julia , Kupczyk Patrick Arthur , Bruners Philipp , Siepmann Robert , Guendel Emelie , Luetkens Julian Alexander , Isaak Alexander , Meyer Carsten , Kuetting Fabian , Pieper Claus Christian , Attenberger Ulrike Irmgard , Kuetting Daniel 

TITLE=Outcome of transarterial radioembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma as a first-line interventional therapy and after a previous transarterial chemoembolization

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Radiology

VOLUME=4

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/radiology/articles/10.3389/fradi.2024.1346550

DOI=10.3389/fradi.2024.1346550

ISSN=2673-8740

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Purpose</title><p>Due to a lack of data, there is an ongoing debate regarding the optimal frontline interventional therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of the study is to compare the results of transarterial radioembolization (TARE) as the first-line therapy and as a subsequent therapy following prior transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in these patients.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>A total of 83 patients were evaluated, with 38 patients having undergone at least one TACE session prior to TARE [27 male; mean age 67.2 years; 68.4% stage Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) B, 31.6% BCLC C]; 45 patients underwent primary TARE (33 male; mean age 69.9 years; 40% BCLC B, 58% BCLC C). Clinical [age, gender, BCLC stage, activity in gigabecquerel (GBq), Child–Pugh status, portal vein thrombosis, tumor volume] and procedural [overall survival (OS), local tumor control (LTC), and progression-free survival (PFS)] data were compared. A regression analysis was performed to evaluate OS, LTC, and PFS.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>No differences were found in OS (95% CI: 1.12, <italic>P </italic>= 0.289), LTC (95% CI: 0.003, <italic>P </italic>= 0.95), and PFS (95% CI: 0.4, <italic>P </italic>= 0.525). The regression analysis revealed a relationship between Child–Pugh score (<italic>P </italic>= 0.005), size of HCC lesions (&gt;10 cm) (<italic>P </italic>= 0.022), and OS; neither prior TACE (Child–Pugh B patients; 95% CI: 0.120, <italic>P </italic>= 0.729) nor number of lesions (&gt;10; 95% CI: 2.930, <italic>P </italic>= 0.087) correlated with OS.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>Prior TACE does not affect the outcome of TARE in unresectable HCC.</p></sec>