Balloon-occluded chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: a prospective study of safety, feasibility and outcomes.
Aim
Evaluation of safety and efficacy of selective balloon-occluded transarterial chemoembolization using polyethylene glycol embolizing microspheres in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.


Materials & methods
Twenty-four consecutive patients were included in this monocentric prospective trial. Adverse events were evaluated at 24 h and 1 month. Imaging response according to modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors was assessed at 1, 3 and 6 months.


Results
The median time of follow-up was of 22.8 months (interquartile range (IQR) 17.38-26.22). Clinical grade 1/2 toxicities (0% >grade 2) were reported in 25.7% of patients, with abdominal pain being the most frequent complication (17.1%). No 30-days mortalities or liver decompensation were observed. The 1-month follow-up MRI showed an overall response rate of 74.3%.


Conclusion
Balloon-occluded transarterial chemoembolization was shown to be safe and effective.
['Bucalau|Ana-Maria|AM|https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0444-7806', 'Tancredi|Illario|I|', 'Pezzullo|Martina|M|', 'Leveque|Raphael|R|', 'Picchia|Simona|S|', 'Laethem|Jean-Luc Van|JV|', 'Verset|Gontran|G|']
hepatocellular carcinoma polyethylene glycol embolizing microspheres balloon-occluded transarterial chemoembolization using drug-eluting microspheres transcatheter arterial chemoembolization