Clinical outcomes of transarterial chemoembolization in Child–Turcotte Pugh class A patients with a single small (≤3 cm) hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

AbstractBackground and AimTransarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is one of the standard modalities used to treat unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the effectiveness of TACE for treating patients with a solitary small (≤3 cm) HCC and well‐preserved liver function has not been definitively established. This study aimed to determine the therapeutic impact of TACE in patients with these characteristics.MethodsThis multicenter (four university hospitals) retrospective cohort study analyzed the medical records of 250 patients with a solitary small (≤3 cm) HCC and Child–Turcotte–Pugh (CTP) class A liver function diagnosed over 10 years. Posttreatment outcomes, including overall survival (OS), recurrence‐free survival (RFS), and adverse events, were assessed following TACE therapy.ResultsOne hundred and thirty‐eight of the 250 patients (55.2%) treated with TACE achieved complete remission (CR). Overall median OS was 77.7 months, and median OS was significantly longer in the CR group than in the non‐CR group (89.1 vs. 58.8 months, P = 0.001). Median RFS was 19.1 months in the CR group. Subgroup analysis identified hypertension, an elevated serum albumin level, and achieving CR as significant positive predictors of OS, whereas diabetes, hepatitis c virus infection, and tumor size (>2 cm) were poor prognostic factors of OS.ConclusionsThe study demonstrates the effectiveness of TACE as a viable alternative for treating solitary small (≤3 cm) HCC in CTP class A patients.