Chemoembolization Combined with RFA for HCC:Survival Benefits and Tumor Treatment Response

Purpose: To investigate survival benefits and tumor treatment response among patients who received treatment with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and TACE alone. Materials and Methods: A total of 108 HCC patients were treated with TACE between the period of 1998 and 2008. 51 (47.2%) received TACE followed by planned RFA and 57 (52.8%) received TACE alone. 57 patients received Precision TACE with Doxorubicin drug eluting beads and 51 received conventional TACE. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan Meier Estimator with a log rank test, Fischer exact test was performed for categorical variables and the t test for continuous variables. Results: Mean MELD (Model for End Stage Liver Disease) score among the TACE-RFA and TACE-only groups were 12.87 and 12.33 respectively (p = 0.64). The number of patients in Child’s Class A, B, C in the two groups were 28/15/8 and 23/23/11 (p = 0.30); in Okuda Class I, II and III in the two groups were 22/23/6 and 14/30/9 (p = 0.2). Median survival among patients who received TACE-RFA and TACE alone were 566 days and 209 days (p = 0.01). Median survival of patients treated with Precision-TACE + RFA was 566 days and that of patients treated with conventional TACE + RFA was 336 days (p = 0.510). Mean progression-free duration by RECIST criteria among the TACE + RFA group was 210 days vs. TACE only group 97 days (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Combination therapies of TACE and RFA were associated with improved overall survival than TACE alone. Patients with single tumors cm appeared to have a survival advantage with combination therapy when compared to larger tumors. TACE-RFA was associated with improved tumor response and progression-free duration than TACE alone.