Retrospective European Multicentric Evaluation of Selective Transarterial Chemoembolisation with and without Balloon-Occlusion in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis

Abstract

The aim of this retrospective multicentric study was to compare the tumour response rates of Balloon-occluded Transarterial Chemoembolisation (B-TACE) to non-B-TACE using propensity score matching (PSM) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and to investigate the clinical benefit, such as lower rates of TACE re-intervention achieved using B-TACE. The B-TACE procedures (n\u2009=\u200996 patients) were compared with a control group of non-B-TACE treatments (n\u2009=\u2009434 pts), performed with conventional (cTACE) or drug-eluting microspheres TACE (DEM-TACE). Data were collected from six European centres from 2015 to 2019. Objective responses (OR) and complete response (CR) rates after the first session and the number of TACE re-interventions were evaluated using PSM (91 patients per arm). The best target OR after PSM were similar for both B-TACE and non-B-TACE (90.1% and 86.8%, p\u2009=\u20090.644); however, CR at 1–6 months was significantly higher for B-TACE (59.3% vs. 41.8%, p\u2009=\u20090.026). Patients treated with B-TACE had a significantly lower retreatment rate during the first 6 months (9.9%% vs. 22.0%, p\u2009=\u20090.041). Post-embolisation syndrome (PES) rates were 8.8% in non-B-TACE and 41.8% in B-TACE (p\u2009<\u20090.001), with no significant differences between groups regarding major adverse events. B-TACE is safe and effective, achieving higher CR rates than non-B-TACE. Patients undergoing B-TACE had a significantly lower retreatment rate within the first 6 months but higher PES rates. Level 3, retrospective study.