A Recent Advance in Image-Guided Locoregional Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

This study reviews the current results of various image-guided locoregional therapies for treating HCC, especially focusing on thermal ablative and transarterial techniques. Key Message: Advances in image-guided locoregional therapies, including local ablative therapy and transarterial therapy, have led to a major breakthrough in the management of HCC. Both survival rates and cure rates of patients with HCC have improved markedly since the introduction of these techniques. Practical Implications: Radiofrequency ablation is currently considered as an alternative to surgical resection for patients with early-stage HCC. A newer technique of ablation such as microwave ablation is increasingly being used, especially for large HCC. Transarterial chemoembolization has become a standard care for asymptomatic patients with multinodular tumors in intermediate-stage disease, and transarterial radioembolization has become the method of choice in HCC cases with portal vein thrombosis. Moreover, combination treatment modalities, such as thermal-based ablation combined with transarterial chemoembolization or 125I seed implant brachytherapy, may further broaden their clinical indications for HCC. Moreover, use of localized radiation in combination with thermal ablation has been reported to improve tumor control and long-term survival.Gastrointest Tumors
Source: Gastrointestinal Tumors - Category: Gastroenterology Source Type: research