Effect of neoadjuvant transarterial chemoembolization followed by resection versus upfront liver resection on the survival of single large hepatocellular carcinoma patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract

The efficacy of neoadjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (N-TACE) in resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains open to debate. While N-TACE may reduce tumor size, its impact on long-term outcomes is inconclusive. This meta-analysis reviewed studies on N-TACE before surgical resection vs. liver resection (LR) single large hepatocellular carcinoma (SLHCC) up to March 2023 from four online databases. Five studies with 1,556 patients were analyzed. No significant differences between N-TACE and LR groups were observed in 1-, 3-, or 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). No significant differences were noted in intraoperative blood loss between groups. Subgroup analysis showed favorable 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS with combination chemotherapy N-TACE (combination group), and better 1-year OS in the LR group with single-agent chemotherapy N-TACE (single-agent group). Five-year DFS favored LR in the single-agent group, and N-TACE in the combination group. Managing SLHCC requires intricate considerations, and the treatment strategies for this challenging subgroup of HCC need to be improved. The influence of N-TACE on long-term survival depends on the specific chemotherapy regimen employed, and its impact on intraoperative blood loss in SLHCC appears limited.