Objectives: To evaluate the outcomes of preoperative transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein invasion.
Methods: From February 2006 to July 2011, 320 patients initially diagnosed with resectable HCC and portal vein invasion were prospectively non-randomized into two arms. In the immediate resection arm (Arm 1, n = 205) patients received immediate surgical resection. 115 patients were included in the preoperative TACE arm (Arm 2), and eventually 85 patients underwent TACE followed by surgical resection.
Results: The 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 48.3 %, 18.7 % and 13.9 % for Arm 1 and 61.2 %, 31.7 % and 25.3 % for Arm 2 (P = 0.001), respectively. In the subgroup analysis of types I and II portal vein tumour thrombus (PVTT), the preoperative TACE arm demonstrated significantly better survival rates than the immediate resection arm (P I = 0.001, P II = 0.036). However, no significant difference was found for patients with type III PVTT (P III = 0.684). No significant difference was found between the two arms in terms of complications and mortality.
Conclusions: Preoperative TACE seems to confer a survival benefit for resectable HCC with PVTT, especially for types I and II PVTT, and preoperative TACE should therefore be recommended as a routine procedure.
Key points: • Preoperative TACE improves the clinical outcomes for patients with PVTT • Preoperative TACE could significantly improve the rate of en bloc thrombectomy • Preoperative TACE does not increase the related adverse events.
Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Overall survival; Portal vein tumour thrombus; Surgical resection; Transarterial chemoembolization.