Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of 70-150 μm doxorubicin drug-eluting bead (DEB) transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with those of 100-300 μm DEB-TACE as first-line treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 72 patients who underwent TACE with 70-150 μm DEBs (n = 40) or 100-300 μm DEBs (n = 32) for HCC in a tertiary center between March 2013 and May 2019. Initial treatment response and adverse events were assessed using the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors and the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0, respectively. RESULTS: At the 2-month post-treatment assessment, the complete and objective response rates were 47.5% and 85.0%, respectively, for the 70-150 μm group and 34.4% and 81.3%, respectively, for the 100-300 μm group; however, the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In total, 65% patients in the 70-150 μm group and 59.4 % patients in the 100-300 μm group experienced at least one symptom of post-embolization syndrome after TACE; all symptoms were classified as grade 1 or 2. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of post-procedural laboratory changes such as changes in liver enzymes and bilirubin levels (p > 0.05). Laboratory toxicity of grade 3 occurred in three patients, all of which were transient elevation of liver enzyme levels. Hepatobiliary adverse events, such as bile duct injury, biloma, liver abscess, and hepatic infarction, were not observed in either treatment group. CONCLUSION: This study found no significant difference in tumor response between 70-150 μm and 100-300 μm DEB-TACE. Both groups showed favorable safety profiles, and the difference was not significant.