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Hepatoma Research

Ma et al. Hepatoma Res. 2026;12:43 DOI:10.20517/2394-5079.2025.117

Relationship between transarterial
chemoembolization treatment frequency and
prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Yu-Yan Ma 1,2,# , Li Chen 1,2,# , Cheng-Hui Li , Yue-Yong Li , Guo-Jun Li , Hai-Dong Zhu 1,2,5,6,7
1,2
4
3
Keywords:
Hepatocellular carcinoma,
transarterial
chemoembolization,
therapeutic number,
prognosis
Citation: Ma YY, Chen L,
Li CH, Li YY, Li GJ, Zhu HD.
Relationship between
transarterial
chemoembolization
treatment frequency and
prognosis in hepatocellular
carcinoma patients.
Hepatoma Res. 2026;12:43.
https://dx.doi.org/10.20517
/2394-5079.2025.117
Abstract
Received: 28 Dec 2025
First Decision: 28 May Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is an important treatment for intermediate-stage
2026 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that often needs to be repeated. However, the optimal
Revised: 17 Jun 2026 number of treatments remains unclear, and the relationship between repeated TACE and
Accepted: 20 Jul 2026 patient prognosis is complex and needs to be systematically investigated. Evidence shows
Published: 31 Jul 2026
that the initial efficacy of TACE is significant; however, with an increase in the number of
Academic Editor: treatments, the objective response rate of the tumor decreases, and TACE-related liver
Irene Bargellini injury accumulates, which becomes a key factor restricting the long-term survival of
Copy Editor:
Ting-Ting Hu patients with HCC. In recent years, the new paradigm of TACE combined with targeted
Production Editor: therapy plus immunotherapy has shown significant advantages, improving the tumor
Ting-Ting Hu remission rate, reducing the number of TACE required, and protecting liver function. In
terms of prognosis prediction, the model is evolving from a static model based on baseline

1 Center of Interventional Radiology and Vascular Surgery, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast
University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China.
2 Basic Medicine Research and Innovation Center of Ministry of Education, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009,
Jiangsu, China.
3 Department of Oncology, Changsha Central Hospital, University of South China, Changsha 410004, Hunan, China.
4 Department of Interventional Minimally Invasive Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Southeast University, Xuzhou 221000, Jiangsu, China.
5 National Innovation Platform for Integration of Medical Engineering Education (NMEE) (Southeast University), Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu,
China.
6 Nurturing Center of Jiangsu Province for State Laboratory of AI Imaging & Interventional Radiology (Southeast University), Nanjing
210009, Jiangsu, China.
7 State Key Laboratory of Digital Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, China.
# These authors contributed equally and share the first authorship.

Correspondence to: Dr. Hai-Dong Zhu, Center of Interventional Radiology and Vascular Surgery, Department of Radiology, Zhongda

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