TREATMENT OF LARGE HCC - TRANSCATHETER ARTERIAL CHEMOEMBOLIZATION COMBINED WITH PERCUTANEOUS ETHANOL INJECTION VERSUS REPEATED TRANSCATHETER ARTERIAL CHEMOEMBOLIZATION

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoemboli zation (TACE) combined with percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) versu s repeated TACE in the treatment of large hepatocellular carcinoma (HC C). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-three patients with cirrhosis and a l arge HCC (main tumor, 3.1-8.0 cm in diameter with no more than two dau ghter nodules) were enrolled in a prospective, randomized study. Twent y-six patients underwent a single TACE session followed by PEI (TACE-P EI group), whereas 27 patients underwent two to five TACE sessions (TA CE group). Both groups of patients were similar with regard to Liver f unction. Follow-up ranged from 8 to 39 months. RESULTS: Complete thera peutic responses were higher (P < .05) and tumor recurrences during fo llow-up were lower (P < .05) in the TACE-PEI group than in the TACE gr oup. Patients in the TACE-PEI group survived longer than those in the TACE group, although the difference was not significant (P > .1). The rates of survival without recurrence were better in the TACE-PEI group than in the TACE group (P < .05). CONCLUSION Use of a single TACE ses sion combined with PEI is more effective than repeated TACE in the tre atment of large HCC.