Comparison of lipiodol infusion and drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma in a real-life setting.

Doxorubicin-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) is reported to improve survival and tolerability when compared with conventional lipiodol-TACE (cTACE) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to evaluate tolerability and long-term survival in patients treated with cTACE or DEB-TACE in a real-life setting. Incidence of adverse events and overall survival in HCC patients treated with either cTACE or DEB-TACE at Karolinska University Hospital 2004-2012 were analyzed retrospectively.