Title:Transcatheter Embolization Therapy in Liver Cancer
Volume: 2
Issue: 2
Author(s): Yi-Xiang J. Wang
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Chemoembolization, drug-eluting particles, hepatocellular carcinoma, lipiodol, microspheres, radioembolization,
transarterial, yttrium-90.
Abstract: Embolization procedure is commonly used in interventional oncology. Transarterial chemoembolization
(TACE) has been shown to provide a survival benefit for liver cancer patients. TACE combines targeted chemotherapy
with the effect of ischemic necrosis induced by arterial embolization. Recently, there have been efforts to improve the
delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to tumors, leading to the development of drug-eluting particles. To avoid the
limitation of external beam irradiation due to the radiosensitive nature of normal hepatic tissue, minimally invasive
transarterial radioembolization (TARE) technique has been developed, and proven to be safer in advanced liver cancers.
This review describes the basic procedure of transarterial chemoembolization, properties and efficacy of some
chemoembolization agents and radioembolization agents which are commercially available and/or currently under clinical
evaluation. The key clinical trials of transcatheter arterial therapy for liver cancer and the recent patents relevant to cancer
chemoembolization are also summarized.
