Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization Combined with Simultaneous Computed Tomography-guided Radiofrequency Ablation for Large Hepatocellular Carcinomas

BACKGROUND: Currently, the treatment of large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still a challenging problem. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the main treatment for intermediate end-stage HCC, while it is only a palliative and not a curative treatment due to the existence of residual tumors, and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has limitations in complete ablation of large HCC. We hypothesized that TACE combined with simultaneous RFA (herein referred to as TACE + RFA) could improve the efficacy and survival of large HCC. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of TACE + RFA on single large HCC. METHODS: A total of 66 patients with single large HCC (≥5 cm in diameter) were recruited between February 2010 and June 2016. TACE was first performed and computed tomography was performed immediately after TACE, and the lesions with poor lipiodol deposition were subjected to simultaneous RFA. The success rate, technique-related complications, liver and kidney functions, serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, progression-free survival (PFS), median survival time (MST), focal control rate, and long-term survival rate were evaluated. RESULTS: TACE + RFA were performed smoothly in all the patients with the success rate of 100%. Intra- and post-operative severe complications were not observed. There were no marked differences in mean alanine transaminase or aspartate transaminase before TACE + RFA compared with 7 days after TACE + RFA (all P > 0.05). In 57 AFP-positive patients, the levels of serum AFP were reduced by 100.0%, 100.0%, and 94.7% at 1, 3, and 6 months after TACE + RFA, respectively; the tumor control rates (complete remission + partial remission) were 100.0% (66/66), 92.4% (61/66), 87.9% (58/66), and 70.1% (39/55) at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after TACE + RFA, respectively. Patients were followed up for 7–82 months after TACE + RFA. The MST was 18.3 months, PFS was 14.2 ± 6.2 months, and the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 93.2% (55/59), 42.5% (17/40), and 27.2% (9/33), respectively. CONCLUSION: TACE + RFA is safe, feasible, and effective in enhancing the focal control rate and survival rate of patients with large HCC.