Affiliation:
1. Radiation Oncology Research, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Abstract
The majority of patients (worldwide) diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in 2016 will not be candidates for a potentially curative therapy; however, patients with disease localised to the liver will have options for treatment that are proven to be safe, effective, and worthy of consideration. Transarterial radioembolisation and transarterial chemoembolisation continue to evolve, as does stereotactic external beam radiation therapy with photons or protons. Nonsurgical therapies can provide substantial improvements in quality of life and survival rates compared with best supportive care. This review considers the current use of, and medical evidence for, intra-arterial therapies and external beam radiation options in the nonsurgical management of HCC.