Combination transarterial chemoembolization and microwave ablation improves local tumor control for 3- to 5-cm hepatocellular carcinoma when compared with transarterial chemoembolization alone.

Purpose: To compare transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) monotherapy to combination TACE and microwave ablation (MWA) for local control of 3- to 5-cm hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Patients with HCC between 3 and 5 cm treated with TACE monotherapy or combination TACE + MWA at a single institution between 2007 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-four HCCs (median diameter 3.