Abstract
BACKGROUND: This case series evaluated the clinical impact and significant technical points of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using the smaller drug-eluting bead (DEB) M1 (DC Bead M1(TM); 70-150 µm). METHODS: We evaluated 12 patients and 14 HCC nodules treated with DEB-TACE using the DC Bead M1(TM) (named DEM1-TACE). In addition to evaluating the early treatment efficacy for each treated node after DEM1-TACE, the study also used interventional radiology (IVR)- computed tomography (CT) to focus on the presence or absence of retention of the homogeneous contrast medium in target nodules after DEM1-TACE as a predictor of a good treatment response. RESULTS: Nine HCC nodules (64%) showed a complete response by modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST), while two nodules (14%) had a partial response. Finally, 11 nodules (79%) showed an objective response (OR). Moreover, IVR-CT showed target nodules with retention of homogeneous contrast medium after DEM1-TACE, eight of nine (89%) nodules achieved a complete response and nine of nine (100%) nodules showed an OR, resulting in an objective response rate (ORR) of 100%. In contrast, in nodules without retention of homogeneous contrast medium in treated target nodules after DEM1-TACE, two of five (40%) nodules showed OR, resulting in an ORR of 40%. The ORR was significantly higher in the group with retention of homogeneous contrast medium after DEM1-TACE (P = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: DEM1-TACE had good treatment responses in patients with HCC. Evaluating retention of homogeneous contrast medium after DEM1-TACE using IVR-CT is one of the main predictors of treatment success.