Is Salvage Liver Resection Necessary for Initially Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients Downstaged by Transarterial Chemoembolization? Ten Years of Experience

Abstract

The results of this study suggest that salvage liver resection after downstaging of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with a complete response to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has a comparable long-term outcome in this good-prognosis group. Salvage liver resection may provide a better long-term outcome compared with TACE alone, but only in patients with macroscopic vascular invasion or those with a partial response to TACE.