Abstract:

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Transarterial Chemoembolization (TAKE) on tumor response survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) between January 2002 and December 2008. Materials and methods: In 33 unresectable HCC pa­tients TACE treatment was administered 59 times. Lipi­odol + epirubycin hidrochlorur emulsion and lipiodol were administered to HCC for 1-4 times (mean 1.78) via the hepatic artery, selectively. Patients were examined at 1st, 2nd, and 4th months with abdomen CT, serum albumin, bilirubin, PT, AFP levels. Procedure was repetaed in case of growth in the initial mass size or enhancing solid por­tion of tumor on the CT images. Results: In our study, tumor size above 5 cm, diffuse involvement, ascites, serum albumin level below 2.8 g/dl, bilirubin level above 3 mg/dl, Child C stage, Okuda III stage, serum AFP level above 400 IU/dl and low lipiodol involvement were considered as poor prognostic factors. Tumor size below 5 cm, nodularity, absence of ascites, serum albumin levels above 3.5 g/dl, bilirubin levels be­low 1 mg/dl, Child A stage, Okuda I stage and high lipiodol involvement were found as good prognostic factors. Conclusion: In present study, we found that repetitive TACE procedures improved the survival in selected unre­sectable HCC patients

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