Table 1.
Indications | Advantages | Disadvantages | |
Ablation (RFA) | BCLC-A patients | Curative | Low complication rates rates in HCC > 3 cm |
New devices (MWA, Cryoablation, HIFU, Laser, IRE) | Relatively unfeasible in “complex” sites/lesions | ||
TACE | BCLC-B patients without PVT | Super-selective delivery | Palliative |
Great variety of materials | Heterogeneous population | ||
No standardization | |||
Combined therapy (RFA + TACE) | Selected BCLC-A/B patients | Complimentary and sinergistic effect | No standardization |
Better than RFA and TACE alone | |||
SIRT | Selected BCLC-B/C patients not amenable for TACE or Sorafenib | Super-selective delivery | High costs |
HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; RFA: Radiofrequency ablation; MWA: Microwave ablation; IRE: Irreversible electroporation; TACE: Trans-arterial chemoembolization; SIRT: Selective internal radiation therapy.