Targeted Transarterial Oily Chemoembolization for Small Foci of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using a Unified Helical CT and Angiography System: Analysis of Factors Affecting Local Recurrence and Survival Rates

OBJECTIVE. We assessed the local recurrence rate after a single targeted transarterial oily chemoembolization for small hepatocellular carcinoma with the unified helical CT and angiography system and analyzed the factors affecting the local recurrence rate and survival rate with Cox proportional hazards model.MATERIALS AND METHODS. For 54 consecutive patients with 71 small hepatocellular carcinomas (≤5 cm) with no more than two associated lesions, targeted oily chemoembolization was performed with an emulsion of doxorubicin hydrochloride mixed with iodized oil or a suspension of zinostatin stimalamer followed by gelatin sponge particles. When local recurrence or a new lesion appeared, follow-up targeted oily chemoembolization was performed.RESULTS. For 52 of 71 lesions, the catheterization to a subsegmental or more distal feeding artery could be performed. Local recurrence was recognized in 33.2% at 1 year and 37.8% at 2 and 3 years. The significant factors that affected local recurrence were tumor size (...