Treatment efficacy and safety of drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization versus conventional transarterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma patients with arterioportal fistula

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic and clinical characteristics of HCC patients with APF

Items	cTACE group (N = 20)	DEB-TACE group (N = 24)	P value
Age (years), mean ± SD	58.0 ± 9.9	58.4 ± 9.6	0.886
Gender, No. (%)			0.895
Female	1 (5.0)	1 (4.2)
Male	19 (95.0)	23 (95.8)
Causes of cirrhosis, No. (%)			0.350
Hepatitis B	16 (80.0)	20 (83.3)
Hepatitis C	1 (5.0)	3 (12.5)
Alcoholic hepatitis	3 (15.0)	1 (4.2)
ECOG PS score, No. (%)			0.076
0	1 (5.0)	8 (33.3)
1	7 (35.0)	6 (25.0)
2	12 (60.0)	10 (41.7)
Portal vein invasion, No. (%)	12 (60.0)	12 (50.0)	0.507
Grade of APF, No. (%)			0.185
1	1 (5.0)	3 (12.5)
2	6 (30.0)	10 (41.7)
3	13 (65.0)	11 (45.8)
Tumor distribution, No. (%)			0.284
Unifocal	15 (75.0)	21 (87.5)
Multifocal	5 (25.0)	3 (12.5)
Largest nodule diameter (cm), median (IQR)	7.5 (5.9–12.2)	7.1 (5.9–11.0)	0.781
Child-Pugh stage, No. (%)			0.157
A	14 (70.0)	21 (87.5)
B	6 (30.0)	3 (12.5)
BCLC stage, No. (%)			0.815
B	6 (30.0)	8 (33.3)
C	14 (70.0)	16 (66.7)
Albumin (g/L), mean ± SD	37.0 ± 4.2	38.2 ± 4.4	0.365
Bilirubin (μmol/L), median (IQR)	16.0 (11.7–23.6)	16.0 (11.9–20.2)	0.509

HCC: hepatocellular carcinoma; APF: arterioportal fistula, cTACE, conventional transarterial chemoembolization; DEB-TACE, drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization; SD, standard deviation; ECOG, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; PS, performance status; IQR, interquartile range; BCLC, Barcelona clinic liver cancer; TACE, transarterial chemoembolization.

Figure 1. Treatment response in DEB-TACE group and cTACE group. A: Comparison of total treatment response between DEB-TACE group and cTACE group; B: Comparison of ORR and DCR between DEB-TACE group and cTACE group. DEB-TACE: drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization; cTACE: conventional transarterial chemoembolization; CR: complete response; PR: partial response; SD: stable disease; PD: progressive disease; ORR: objective response rate; DCR: disease control rate.

Figure 2. PFS and OS in DEB-TACE group and cTACE group. A: Comparison of PFS between DEB-TACE group and cTACE group; B: Comparison of OS between DEB-TACE group and cTACE group. DEB-TACE: drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization; cTACE: conventional transarterial chemoembolization; PFS: progression-free survival; OS: overall survival.

Table 2. Analysis of hepatic function after treatment

Items	After treatment
	cTACE group (N = 20)	DEB-TACE group (N = 24)	P value
Child-Pugh stage, No. (%)			0.273
A	12 (60.0)	17 (70.8)
B	6 (30.0)	7 (29.2)
C	2 (10.0)	0 (0.0)
Albumin (g/L), mean ± SD	34.8 ± 4.7	36.6 ± 3.6	0.176
Bilirubin (μmol/L), median (IQR)	25.0 (19.7–29.8)	29.8 (21.7–34.2)	0.248

cTACE, conventional transarterial chemoembolization; DEB-TACE, drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization; SD, standard deviation; IQR, interquartile range.

Table 3. Adverse events

Items	cTACE group (N = 20)	DEB-TACE group (N = 24)	P value
Fever, No. (%)	14 (70.0)	20 (83.3)	0.490
Myelosuppression, No. (%)	2 (10.0)	2 (8.3)	1.000
Abdominal distension, No. (%)	2 (10.0)	1 (4.2)	0.870
Abdominal pain, No. (%)	1 (5.0)	1 (4.2)	1.000
Nausea, No. (%)	1 (5.0)	1 (4.2)	1.000
Liver abscess, No. (%)	0 (0.0)	2 (8.3)	0.552
Anorexia, No. (%)	1 (5.0)	0 (0.0)	0.926
Hepatic failure, No. (%)	1 (5.0)	0 (0.0)	0.926
Upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, No. (%)	1 (5.0)	0 (0.0)	0.926

cTACE, conventional transarterial chemoembolization; DEB-TACE, drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization.

Figure 3. Treatment response and survival in the DD-TACE group and PD-TACE group. A: Comparison of total treatment response between DD-TACE group and PD-TACE group; B: Comparison of ORR and DCR between DD-TACE group and PD-TACE group; C: Comparison of PFS between DD-TACE group and PD-TACE group; D: Comparison of OS between DD-TACE group and PD-TACE group. CR: complete response; PR: partial response; SD: stable disease; PD: progressive disease; ORR: objective response rate; DCR: disease control rate; PFS: progression-free survival; OS: overall survival.