Study of the role of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization using iodized oil with and without gel foam for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) using iodized oil with and without gel foam for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).BackgroundHCC is one of the most common malignant diseases worldwide, with an increasing incidence in the industrialized countries. The extensive application of surveillance programs for the early detection of HCC in high-risk patients has increased the number of tumors detected at a subclinical stage as well as those that are responsive to effective treatments.Patients and methodsThis study was carried out on 40 patients with HCC; of these, 20 patients were treated with TACE by lipiodol and adriamycin, group I, and 20 patients were treated with TACE by lipiodol and adriamycin, followed by gel foam, group II.ResultsA unique criterion of this study is that all the entire study population of the cirrhotic groups had posthepatitic cirrhosis (hepatitis C virus). After TACE, there was a decrease in tumor size, safe in liver function, and a decrease in α-fetoprotein.ConclusionTACE was safe and effective in the treatment of HCC. We found a trend toward greater survival when gel foam was used as the embolic agent for TACE for HCC, although this was not significant compared with lipiodol.