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Puppala. Hepatoma Res 2019;5:44 Hepatoma Research
DOI: 10.20517/2394-5079.2019.28

Review Open Access

Technical update on transcatheter arterial
chemoembolization

Sapna Puppala

Department of Radiology, Leeds Teaching Hospital, Leeds LS1 3EX, UK.
Correspondence to: Dr. Sapna Puppala, Consultant vascular interventional radiologist, Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust,
Great George street Leeds, Leeds LS1 3EX, UK. E-mail: puppalasapna@hotmail.com

How to cite this article: Puppala S. Technical update on transcatheter arterial chemoembolization. Hepatoma Res 2019;5:44.
http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2394-5079.2019.28

Received: 5 Nov 2019 First Decision: 2 Dec 2019 Revised: 12 Dec 2019 Accepted: 16 Dec 2019 Published: 31 Dec 2019
Science Editor: Dalbir Sandhu Copy Editor: Jing-Wen Zhang Production Editor: Jing Yu

Abstract
Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization has become an established drug delivery system for palliative or bridging
Received: First Decision: Revised: Accepted: Published: treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Over the last two decades, various research and developments have taken
place to improve the transcatheter arterial chemoembolization procedure from both a clinical and a technical
Science Editor: Copy Editor: Production Editor: Jing Yu
perspective. This review article aims to provide an update on the technical developments over the last decade.

Keywords: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, Doxorubicin, bead, cisplatin

INTRODUCTION
Since its first introduction in the late 1970s, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) has become an
[1,2]
established drug delivery system for palliative or bridging treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) .
Randomized controlled trials have shown a survival benefit in patients treated with TACE, compared to
[3-5]
transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) using bland agents with no additional chemotherapy . TACE
has also replaced trans-arterial chemotherapy (TAC), which delivered chemotherapy in isolation without
vessel occlusion.

The liver has a dual blood supply via both the hepatic artery and the portal vein; TACE takes advantage
of this dual blood supply. As 80%-90% of HCCs derive their blood supply from the hepatic artery, it
therefore, becomes an ideal vessel to access and deliver both an embolic and a chemotherapeutic agent,

© The Author(s) 2019. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use,
sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as long
as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license,
and indicate if changes were made.

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