Comparison of Triple-Drug Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization (TACE) With Single-Drug TACE Using Doxorubicin-Eluting Beads: Long-Term Survival in 313 Patients

OBJECTIVE. We compared survival outcomes in 313 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with two different transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) regimens: triple-drug TACE or single-drug TACE using drug-eluting beads. MATERIALS AND METHODS. In this retrospective study, patient selection criteria were uniform. The triple-drug group (n = 166) underwent TACE using ethiodized oil with doxorubicin, cisplatin, and mitomycin-C with a microsphere embolic. The single-drug group (n = 147) underwent TACE using doxorubicin-eluting beads. Group characteristics were classified and analyzed, and survival was calculated using standard statistical methods. All patients were followed until death. Those undergoing orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) were also followed. RESULTS. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of demographics, Child-Pugh class, or Okuda stage. With patients undergoing OLT censored (n = 73), the mean (± standard error) survival in the tri...