Efficacy and safety of drug eluting bead TACE with microspheres <150 μm for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Background/Aim: To retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of drug eluting bead (DEB) transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) with microspheres <150 μm for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with respect to overall survival, progression-free survival, tumor response and the peri-interventional toxicity. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective, single-center study we analyzed 32 HCC-patients (BCLC A: 10 patients, BCLC B: 17 patients, BCLC C: 5 patients), who were treated with (DEB) <15 μm (DCBeadM1®) loaded with epirubicin between 2011 and 2015. We analyzed MRI and CT-scans as well as blood results like AFP, bilirubin and liver enzymes before (t0) and after (t1=first follow-up, t2=last follow-up within 6 months) locoregional treatment. The tumor response was evaluated by MRI and CT considering m-RECIST and the EASL-criteria as well as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in the peripheral blood. Results: We found a significant tumor response at all follow-up times (p<0.05) according to m-RECIST criteria and a significant tumor response between t0 vs. t1 (p<0.05) and t0 vs. t2 (p<0.05) according to EASL criteria. We observed a significant decrease of the AFP-level between t0 and t1. The objective response rates (ORR) of target lesions were 64.3% and 78.5 % corresponding to m-RECIST and EASL,.