Influence of Preoperative Transarterial Lipiodol Chemoembolization on Resection and Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients With Cirrhosis

Abstract

Downstaging or total necrosis of the tumor induced by TACE occurred in 62% of the cases and was associated with improved disease-free survival both after liver resection and transplantation. In liver resection, TACE was also useful to improve the resectability of primarily unresectable tumors. In liver transplantation, downstaging in patients with tumors >3 cm was associated with survival similar to that in patients with less extensive disease.