Radiofrequency ablation plus drug-eluting beads transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for the treatment of single large hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the single-step combined therapy with radiofrequency ablation and drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization in single hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) larger than 3cm. Secondary aim was to compare the results with those obtained in a matched population treated with drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization alone.

Methods: 40 consecutive cirrhotic patients with single HCC were prospectively enrolled and treated. Twenty-three patients had tumours between 3 and 5cm (Group A), and 17 larger than 5cm (Group B). Twenty cirrhotic patients with single HCC treated only with chemoembolization formed the control group.

Results: Complete response at 1 month was achieved in 32/40 tumours (80%). During follow-up, complete response was maintained in 25 patients (25/40, 62.5%), and this rate was higher in Group A (69.6% vs 53%, p=0.008). The group treated with combined therapy showed a significantly lower 2-year recurrence (48.1% vs 78.2%, p<0.001) and significantly higher survival (91.1% vs 60.6%, p=0.004) than the group treated with chemoembolization alone.

Conclusions: Balloon-occluded-radiofrequency ablation plus drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization is an effective treatment of HCC larger than 3cm not amenable to surgical resection, providing better results than transarterial chemoembolization alone. The best results are achieved in tumours up to 5cm.