Efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization targeting portal vein tumor thrombus in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Aim: We aimed to retrospectively examine the tolerability and efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT).

Patients and methods: Adverse events were assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. The efficacy of TACE in parenchymal tumors (parenchymal response) and PVTT (PVTT response) was separately evaluated by dynamic computed tomography 1 to 2 months after TACE according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Cancer of the Liver (RECICL). Patients with complete remission plus partial response in parenchymal tumors and PVTT were assessed as parenchymal response-positive and PVTT response-positive, respectively.

Results: A total of 33 HCC patients with PVTT were analyzed. Grade 3/4 toxicities included elevated aspartate aminotransferase levels (69.7%), elevated alanine aminotransferase levels (54.5%), hyponatremia (6.1%), thrombocytopenia (6.1%), hyperbilirubinemia (3.0%), leukopenia (3.0%) and anemia (3.0%). All these findings returned to the pre-treatment levels within 1 month after TACE. The number of parenchymal response-positive/negative and PVTT response-positive/negative patients was 20/13 and 13/20, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed that the cumulative survival rate was significantly higher in parenchymal response-positive (p=0.04) and PVTT response-positive (p<0.01) patients than in their negative counterparts. PVTT response was a favorable prognostic factor for overall survival in multivariate analysis (p=0.03).

Conclusion: TACE was feasible in HCC patients with PVTT and could improve their survival by showing direct therapeutic effect against PVTT.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; portal vein tumor thrombus; prognosis; survival; transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.