Table 1. Recommendations for Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinomaa.
| • TACE is recommended for patients with intermediate-stage HCC (multinodular asymptomatic tumors without vascular invasion or extrahepatic spread) (GR: 1A) |
| • TACE is discouraged in patients with decompensated liver disease, advanced liver dysfunction, macroscopic invasion, or extrahepatic spread (GR: 1B) |
| • The use of drug-eluting beads has shown similar response rates than Gelfoam-lipiodol particles associated with less systemic adverse events (GR: 2B) |
| • Selective intra-arterial chemotherapy, bland embolization, and lipiodolization are not recommended for the management of HCC (GR: 2B) |
Abbreviations: EASL, European Association for the Study of the Liver; EORTC, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer; GR, grade of recommendation; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; TACE, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.
a
As reported in the Clinical Practice Guidelines jointly issued by the EASL and the EORTC (adapted from reference 7). The recommendations follow the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system and are based on the level of evidence and the strength of the data.