Transarterial Chemoembolization with BioPearls for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Preliminary Experience
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Results
2.1. Sample Description
2.2. Feasibility and Efficacy
2.3. Safety
3. Discussion
4. Materials and Methods
4.1. TACE Protocol
4.2. Safety and Efficacy
4.3. Statistical Analysis
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
HCC | Hepatocellular Carcinoma |
TACE | Transarterial Chemoembolization |
cTACE | Conventional TACE |
DEB-TACE | Drug-Eluting Beads TACE |
ECOG-PS | Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status |
mRECIST | Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors |
CT | Computed Tomography |
MRI | Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
CBCT | Cone-Beam CT |
NCI-CTCAE | National Cancer Institute—Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events |
SD | Standard Deviation |
BCLC | Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer |
CR | Complete Response |
PR | Partial Response |
PD | Disease Progression |
ODC | Overall Disease Control |
ORR | Objective Response Rate |
DSA | Digital Subtraction Angiography |
AFP | Alpha-fetoprotein |
ALP | Alkaline Phosphatase |
AST | Aspartate-aminotransferase |
ALT | Alanine-aminotransferase |
GGT | Gamma-glutamyltransferase |
INR | International Normalized Ratio |
MELD | Model for End-Stage Liver Disease |
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n | % | |
---|---|---|
Age (years; mean ± SD) | 74.6 ± 9.8 | |
Gender | ||
Female | 2 | 15.4% |
Male | 11 | 84.6% |
Child–Pugh class A | 13 | 100% |
A-5 | 9 | 69.2% |
A-6 | 4 | 30.8% |
Etiology of liver cirrhosis | ||
Hepatitis B | 12 | 92.3% |
Hepatitis C | 1 | 7.7% |
BCLC Stage | ||
A | 10 | 76.9% |
B | 3 | 23.1% |
Tumor location | ||
II | 3 | 14.3% |
III | 3 | 14.3% |
IV | 5 | 23.8% |
V | 1 | 4.8% |
VI | 4 | 19% |
VIII | 5 | 23.8% |
Maximum lesion diameter | ||
<5 cm | 11 | 84.6% |
≥5 cm | 2 | 15.4% |
TACE indication | ||
Curative | 9 | 69.2% |
Down-staging | 1 | 7.7% |
Bridging | 1 | 7.7% |
Palliation | 2 | 15.4% |
Pre-TACE (Mean ± SD) | Post-TACE (Mean ± SD) | p | |
---|---|---|---|
AST (IU/L) | 45.0 ± 20.1 | 43.3 ± 14.1 | 0.516 |
ALT (IU/L) | 45.7 ± 37.8 | 37.5 ± 17.7 | 0.156 |
ALP (IU/L) | 93.8 ± 31.1 | 140.4 ± 53.5 | 0.015 |
GGT (IU/L) | 176.3 ± 157.7 | 168.7 ± 86.9 | 0.135 |
Total bilirubin (μmol/L) | 1.0 ± 0.3 | 1.0 ± 0.4 | 0.905 |
Direct bilirubin (μmol/L) | 0.4 ± 0.2 | 0.6 ± 0.3 | 0.369 |
Albumin (g/L) | 4.1 ±0.4 | 4.0 ± 0.4 | 0.972 |
Platelets (×103/μL) | 113.1 ± 50.1 | 138.1 ± 66.8 | 0.092 |
White blood cells (×103/μL) | 6.3 ± 1.9 | 7.3 ± 2.3 | 0.328 |
Neutrophils (×103/μL) | 4.8 ± 1.4 | 4.9 ± 1.7 | 0.346 |
INR | 1.1 ± 0.3 | 1.1 ± 0.1 | 0.203 |
Creatinine (mg/dL) | 1.0 ± 0.3 | 1.1 ± 0.5 | 0.137 |
Sodium (mEq/L) | 137.8 ± 2.6 | 136.9 ± 2.6 | 0.212 |
AFP (ng/mL) | 454.9 ± 359.0 | 24.8 ± 32.8 | 0.028 |
MELD 30 | 8.9 ± 1.1 | 10.7 ± 3.1 | 0.282 |
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Iezzi, R.; Posa, A.; Bargellini, I.; Spreafico, C. Transarterial Chemoembolization with BioPearls for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Preliminary Experience. Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18, 307. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18030307
Iezzi R, Posa A, Bargellini I, Spreafico C. Transarterial Chemoembolization with BioPearls for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Preliminary Experience. Pharmaceuticals. 2025; 18(3):307. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18030307
Chicago/Turabian StyleIezzi, Roberto, Alessandro Posa, Irene Bargellini, and Carlo Spreafico. 2025. "Transarterial Chemoembolization with BioPearls for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Preliminary Experience" Pharmaceuticals 18, no. 3: 307. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18030307
APA StyleIezzi, R., Posa, A., Bargellini, I., & Spreafico, C. (2025). Transarterial Chemoembolization with BioPearls for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Preliminary Experience. Pharmaceuticals, 18(3), 307. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18030307