Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with γ-knife compared to TACE or γ-knife alone for hepatocellular carcinoma

To compare the clinical efficacies and adverse reactions between transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), γ-ray 3-dimensional fractionated stereotactic conformal radiotherapy (FSCR), and TACE combined with FSCR for primary hepatocellular carcinoma. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board, and informed consent was waived due to the retrospective study design. About 121 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in this study, from March 2008 to January 2010, in the Second Xiangya Hospital. Forty-six patients underwent TACE alone, 36 patients underwent γ-knife alone, and 39 were treated by γ-knife combined with TACE. Short-term effects, overall survival rates, adverse reactions, and survival times were compared between the 3 treatment groups. Short-term effects were observed in 41.3% of the TACE group, 33.3% of the γ-knife group, and 64.1% of the TACE combined γ-knife group (P = .020). Overall survival rates at 6,12, 18, and 24 months were 50%, 34.8%, 28.3%, and 21.7% for the TACE group, 36.1%, 30.6%, 16.7%, and 11.1% for γ-knife group, and 84.6%, 71.8%, 61.5%, and 30.8% for TACE combined γ-knife group, respectively. The differences in the overall survival rates at 6, 12, and 18 months between the 3 groups were statistically significant (P = 0), but the overall survival rates at 24 months in the 3 groups were not significantly different (P = .117). The median survival time was 7 months for the TACE group, 3 months for the γ-knife group, and 20 months for the TACE combined γ-knife group (P = 0). There were statistically significant differences (P = .010) of leukopenia between the 3 groups, and no statistically significant differences of (P > .05) thrombocytopenia, anemia, nausea, vomiting, and liver function lesions. TACE combined with γ-knife for primary hepatocellular carcinoma is superior to TACE or γ-knife alone in short-term and long-term effects. This procedure is a mild, safe, and effective treatment for primary hepatocellular carcinoma.