Abstract

Background and ObjectiveTo compare the survival outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) who received transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) before or after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).MethodsDuring the study period, the survival outcomes of HCC patients with PVTT who underwent TACE before (TACE-RT) or after IMRT (RT-TACE) were compared. Using propensity score matching (PSM), matched pairs of patients were compared.ResultsThere were 76 patients in the TACE-RT group and 36 patients in the RT-TACE group. Using a 2:1 matching, 75 patients were included into this study after PSM: 50 patients in the TACE-RT group and 25 patients in the RT-TACE group. Before PSM, patients in the RT-TACE group showed significantly better survival when compared with the TACE-RT group (median survival, 13.2 months vs.7.4 months; P = 0.014) for patients with main trunk PVTT, and after PSM, the corresponding median survival was 13.2 months vs.7.4 months (P = 0.020). When compared with TACE-RT, RT-TACE had a significantly lower rate of worsening in liver function (9.5% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.044) for patients with main trunk PVTT.ConclusionsFor HCC patients with main trunk PVTT, IMRT followed by TACE yielded better survival outcomes and liver function when compared to TACE followed by IMRT.

Highlights

  • Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality [1]

  • Before propensity score matching (PSM), patients in the RT-transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) group showed significantly better survival when compared with the TACE-RT group for patients with main trunk portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT), and after PSM, the corresponding median survival was 13.2 months vs.7.4 months (P = 0.020)

  • For hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with main trunk PVTT, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) followed by TACE yielded better survival outcomes and liver function when compared to TACE followed by IMRT

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality [1]. The combination of TACE and radiotherapy for HCC patients with PVTT significantly improved survival outcomes when compared with TACE or radiotherapy alone [1219]. While most of these studies used TACE followed by RT, some applied RT before TACE [17]. The survival outcomes and adverse events of a cohort of HCC patients with different extent of PVTT underwent TACE either before or after IMRT were compared. To compare the survival outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) who received transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) before or after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)

Methods
Results
Conclusion

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.