Diagnostic value of serum inflammatory markers in predicting early refractoriness of transarterial chemoembolization in patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Stage 0, A, and B hepatocellular carcinoma

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is an established therapeutic strategy for intermediate stage Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, patients who are early refractory to TACE may not benefit from repeated TACE treatment. Our primary objective was to assess the diagnostic value of inflammatory markers in identifying early TACE refractory for patients with early (BCLC 0 and A) or intermediate (BCLC B) stage HCC. We retrospectively reviewed the HCC patients who underwent TACE as the initial treatment in two hospitals. Patients with early TACE refractoriness had significantly poorer median overall survival (OS) (16 vs 40 months, P<0.001) and progression-free survival (PFS) (7 vs 23 months, P<0.001) compared to TACE non-refractory patients. In the multivariate regression analysis, tumor size (P<0.001), bilobular invasion (P=0.007), high aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) (P=0.007), and high alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level (P=0.035) were independent risk factors for early TACE refractoriness. The predictive model showcasing these factors exhibited high ability proficiency, with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.833 (95%CI=0.774-0.892) in the training cohort, 0.750 (95%CI: 0.640-0.861) in the internal-validation cohort, and 0.733 (95%CI: 0.594-0.872) in the external-validation cohort. Calibration curve analysis revealed good agreement between the actual and predicted probabilities of early TACE refractoriness. Our preliminary study estimated the potential value of inflammatory markers in predicting early TACE refractoriness and provides a predictive model to assist in identifying patients who may not benefit from repeat TACE treatment.

Current status and prospects of transarterial chemoembolization and its combined regimens in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma / 临床肝胆病杂志

Transarterial chemoembolization （TACE） is currently the primary treatment method for advanced liver cancer. This article elaborates on the current status of application of TACE in hepatocellular carcinoma from the aspects of existing techniques， patient selection， and efficacy assessment and summarizes the research advances and prospects of TACE combined with local treatment and systemic therapy， so as to provide new ideas for clinical practice and experimental studies.

Analysis of the predictive value of the protein level of oncogenes C-myc,N-ras,PLK 1,and FGF2 in the serum of hepatitis B-related liver cancer patients on the prognosis after TACE / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To investigate the predictive value of serum oncogene[proliferation-related gene(C-myc),transformation gene(N-ras),silk/threonine kinase 1(PLK1),fibroblast growth factor 2(FGF2)]protein levels in patients with hepatitis B associated hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)after hepatic arterial chemoem-bolization(TACE).Methods A total of 127 patients with hepatitis B-associated hepatocellular carcinoma ad-mitted to a hospital from July 2016 to January 2021 were selected and divided into death group and survival group according to the follow-up results.The serum oncogene C-myc,N-ras,PLK1 and FGF2 protein levels were determined by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Univariate and multivari-ate Cox analysis were used to analyze the risk factors of serum oncogene C-myc,N-ras,PLK1 and FGF2 pro-tein levels in patients with hepatitis B-associated hepatocellular carcinoma after TACE.The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the prognostic value of the serum oncogene C-myc,N-ras,PLK1 and FGF2 protein levels,and the patients were divided into high expression group and low expression group ac-cording to the corresponding cutoff value.Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to evaluate the prognosis of different serum oncogene C-myc,N-ras,PLK1 and FGF2 protein level.Results Multivariate Cox regression a-nalysis indicated that TNM stage Ⅲ to Ⅳ(HR=2.998,95％CI:1.239-7.257),portal vein metastasis(HR=3.737,95％CI:1.941-7.193),abdominal metastasis(HR=3.482,95％CI:1.709-7.097),Child-Pugh grade B(HR=2.587,95％CI:1.045-6.406),high serum oncogene C-myc protein level(HR=1.224,95％CI:1.090-1.374),high serum oncogene N-ras protein level(HR=1.218,95％CI:1.097-1.353),high serum oncogene PLK1 protein level(HR=1.237,95％CI:1.110-1.379)and high serum oncogene FGF2 protein level(HR=1.141,95％CI:1.060-1.228)were independent risk factors for the prognosis of hepatitis B-asso-ciated hepatocellular carcinoma patients after TACE(all P＜0.05).The overall survival rate of low expression group of serum oncogene C-myc,N-ras,PLK1,FGF2 protein level was significantly higher than that of high expression group of serum oncogene C-myc,N-ras,PLK1,FGF2 protein level,the difference was statistically significant(all P＜0.001).Conclusion Serum oncogene C-myc,N-ras,PLK1,FGF2 protein levels have predic-tive value for the prognosis of patients with HBV-related liver cancer after TACE.

Different therapeutic methods combined with TACE for primary liver cancer complicated by upper gastrointestinal bleeding:evaluation of clinical efficacy / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of three different therapies,including transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)treatment,endoscopic treatment and medication treatment,combined with transhepatic arterial chemoembolization(TACE)in treating primary liver cancer complicated by portal hypertension and upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Methods A total of 105 patients with primary liver cancer associated with portal hypertension and upper gastrointestinal bleeding,who were admitted to the No.980 Hospital of PLA Joint Logistics Support Forces of China to receive treatment between January 2014 and June 2020,were enrolled in this study.According to the therapeutic scheme,the patients were divided into TIPS+TACE group(TIPS group,n=25),endoscopy+TACE group(endoscopy group,n=30),and medication+TACE group(medication group,n=50).The clinical efficacy,recurrence rate of bleeding,incidence of hepatic encephalopathy,and survival rate were compared between each other among the three groups.Results The differences in the postoperative 6-month,12-month and 24-month recurrence rates of bleeding between each other among the three groups were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).In TIPS group,the portal vein pressure decreased from preoperative(38.47±9.35)mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)to postoperative(25.24±5.68)mmHg,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).After treatment,the hemoglobin level in the three groups showed varying degrees of elevation,which in the TIPS group and endoscopy group were better than that in the medication group,the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).In all three groups,the differences in the recurrence rate of bleeding between postoperative 6-month value,12-month value and 24-month value were statistically significant(all P＜0.05).The postoperative 6-month,12-month and 24-month recurrence rates of bleeding in the TIPS group were lower than those in the endoscopy group and the medication group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The postoperative 12-month and 24-month recurrence rates of bleeding in the TIPS group were lower than those in the endoscopy group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).The postoperative 12-month and 24-month recurrence rates of bleeding in the endoscopy group were lower than those in the medication group(P＜0.05),and the difference in the postoperative 6-month recurrence rate of bleeding between the two groups was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).The postoperative 6-month and 12-month incidences of hepatic encephalopathy in the TIPS group were higher than those in the endoscopy group and the medication group,the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05),while the differences in the postoperative 6-month and 12-month incidences of hepatic encephalopathy between the endoscopy group and the medication group were not statistically significant(P＞0.05),and the differences in the postoperative 24-month incidence of hepatic encephalopathy between each other among the three groups were not statistically significant(P＞0.05).No statistically significant difference in the 6-month mortality existed between TIPS group and endoscopy group(P＞0.05),and the 6-month mortality of both TIPS group and endoscopy group was remarkably lower than that of the medication group(P＜0.05).The postoperative 12-month mortality and 24-month mortality in TIPS group were lower than those in the endoscopy group and the medication group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05),but the differences in the postoperative 12-month mortality and 24-month mortality between the endoscopy group and the medication group were not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Conclusion For primary liver cancer associated with portal hypertension and upper gastrointestinal bleeding,TIPS combined with TACE can effectively control tumor progression and prolong survival.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,32:33-37)

Clinical efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with lenvatinib and camrelizumab in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)combined with lenvatinib and camrelizumab in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods The clinical data of a total of 63 patients with advanced HCC,who received TACE combined with lenvatinib and camrelizumab(triple therapy)or TACE combined with lenvatinib(dual therapy)at the Jingmen Municipal People's Hospital of China between April 2020 and December 2021,were retrospectively analyzed.Triple therapy group had 30 patients,and dual therapy group had 33 patients.The post-treatment tumor response,disease progression-free survival(PFS),overall survival(OS),and the incidence of adverse drug reactions were recorded.Results The median follow-up period of the two groups was 14 months(range of 4-26 months).Compared with the dual therapy group,in the triple therapy group the objective response rate(ORR)was remarkably higher(83.3%vs.57.6%,P=0.026),the disease control rate(DCR)was obviously higher(93.3%vs.69.7%,P=0.039),the median PFS was significantly longer(8.0 months vs.5.0 months,P＜0.01),and the median OS was strikingly longer(24.0 months vs.12.0 months,P=0.004).No statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse drug reactions existed between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion For the treatment of advanced HCC,TACE combined with lenvatinib and camrelizumab is clinically safe and effective.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,32:57-62)

Application of MRI-based radiomics model in predicting the tumor response in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To develop a nomogram model based on the clinical features and the radiomics texture analysis of multimodal magnetic resonance imaging(MRI),so as to predict the tumor response in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)3 months after receiving transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE).Methods A total of 105 patients with advanced HCC,whose diagnosis was pathologically-confirmed at the Suzhou Municipal Ninth People's Hospital between January 2017 and December 2021,were enrolled in this study.The patients were randomly divided into training group(n=63)and verification group(n=42).Before chemotherapy,T1WI,T2WI,dynamic contrast-enhanced(DCE)scan,and diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI)were performed by using a 3.0T MRI scanner.A.K.software was used to extract the texture.Three months after chemotherapy,according to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(mRECIST)the patients were divided into response group(n=63)and non-response group(n=42).Results Compared with the response group,in the non-response group the percentage of Child-Pugh grade B and BCLC stage C was obviously higher and the serum alpha fetoprotein(AFP)level was remarkably elevated(P＜0.05).A.K.software extracted 396 MRI texture features,and LASSO regression analysis screened out 6 optimal predictors.The radiation score(Rad-score)was calculated by ROC.The AUC of Rad-score for predicting tumor non-response after TACE by ROC in the training group and verification group were 0.842 and 0.803 respectively.Multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that AFP≥50 ng/mL(OR=1.568,95%CI=1.234-1.902,P=0.003),Child-Pugh grade B(OR=1.754,95%CI=1.326-2.021,P=0.001),BCLC stage C(OR=1.847,95%CI=1.412-2.232,P=0.001)and Rad-score(OR=2.023,95%CI=1.569-2.457,P＜0.001)were the independent risk factors for tumor non-response.Clinico-radiomics combination had the highest AUC value for predicting tumor non-response.The correction curve showed that the nomogram model had a good agreement.Conclusion The quantitative score of radiomics texture analysis of multimodal MRI has a certain value in predicting tumor non-response in advanced HCC patients 3 months after TACE,and the nomogram model,which is constructed if combined with clinical factors,carries good practical potential.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,32:63-68)

Research progress in MRI-based radiomics for predicting the efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma / 介入放射学杂志

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is the fifth most common malignant tumor in the world and it is characterized by clinically insidious onset and high mortality rate.As a preferred treatment method for patients with moderate and advanced HCC,transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)has many advantages such as reducing tumor load and relieving patient pain,but the selection of the patients who may get benefits from TACE treatment remains a challenging issue.Therefore,it is essential to predict the efficacy of TACE.At present,various methods including clinical laboratory testing,imaging method,genetic-molecular method,etc.have been used to predict the therapeutic efficacy of TACE.Imaging prediction has the advantages of high visualization and strong interpretability,and MRI functional imaging sequence can better demonstrate the details of the lesion.Radiomics,as an emerging imaging field,can complement or even replace tumor biopsy by quantifying the tumor phenotypic variation.This paper aims to make a review concerning the correlation between the imaging radiomics and the prediction of TACE efficacy in patients with HCC,and to discuss whether MRI imaging radiomics can be used as a valid and reproducible method for predicting TACE efficacy for HCC.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,32:90-94)

The application of IVIM-DWI in evaluating the efficacy and prognosis of TACE using different embolization materials for hepatocellular carcinoma / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To discuss the clinical application of intravoxel incoherent motion-diffusion weighted imaging(IVIM-DWI)in evaluating the efficacy and prognosis of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)using different embolization materials for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods The clinical data of a total of 84 patients with inoperable HCC,who received TACE treatment at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University of China and the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University of China between June 30,2019 and December 30,2022,were collected.According to the patient's condition,different embolization materials were used during TACE.IVIM-DWI check-up was performed before treatment as well as at one,6,12 months after treatment.Based on the fixed b-value set by IVIM-DWI sequence,the ADC value of the order index model for different embolization materials and the pure diffusion coefficient of double exponential model(D value),the pseudo-diffusion coefficient(D*value)and perfusion fraction(f value)were analyzed.According to modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(mRECIST)and the embolization material used,the patients were divided into the stable group and progression group,and the changes in the ADC value,D value,D*value and f value were compared between the two groups.Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to analyze the four clinical parameters(including age,Child-Pugh grade,AFP level and tumor size)and the eight functional quantitative indexes(including preoperative and postoperative ADC value,D value,D* value and f value)so as to determine the IVIM parameters with prognostic predictive value.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)was adopted to analyze the diagnostic value and cut-off value of IVIM parameters with predictive value.Results After treatment,the ADC value of drug-loaded microspheres group(n=36)was significantly higher than that of iodized oil group(n=27),the D*value of drug-loaded microspheres group and iodized oil group was remarkably lower than that of PVA particle group(n=21),and the f value of drug-loaded microspheres group was strikingly lower than that of iodized oil group,the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.01).In the stable group,the efficacy of drug loaded microspheres group was obviously better than that of the iodized oil group and the PVA particle group.In the progression group,the iodized oil group was more likely to develop disease progression than the drug-loaded microspheres group and the PVA particle group.The preoperative f value in the stable group was prominently higher than that in the progression group(P=0.005),and the postoperative ADC value in the stable group was obviously higher than that in the progression group(P=0.029).ROC analysis showed that the median follow-up time in the drug-loaded microspheres group,iodized oil group,and PVA particle group was 30,19,and 26 months respectively,the overall average survival time was 25 months,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.01).Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the preoperative D value(AUC=0.878),D*value(AUC=0.554)and postoperative D value(AUC=0.791),D*value(AUC=0.552),f value(AUC=0.467)were the independent factors affecting the short-term efficacy of TACE(all P＜0.05).The preoperative and postoperative D value had higher diagnostic efficacy,while a preoperative D value of＜0.505×10-3 mm2/s and a postoperative D value of＜0.785×10-3 mm2/s predicted a poor prognosis.Conclusion The preoperative and postoperative D value is the optimal parameter for predicting the curative efficacy of TACE using different embolization materials for the treatment of HCC.

Transarterial infusion chemotherapy combined with lipiodol chemoembolization for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To discuss the clinical safety,feasibility and efficacy of transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy(TAI)combined with lipiodol chemoembolization in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer(CRC).Methods The clinical data of 37 patients with advanced CRC,who received TAI combined with lipiodol chemoembolization at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University of China between June 2016 and December 2022,were retrospectively analyzed.The clinical efficacy was evaluated,the progression-free survival(PFS)and the serious complications were recorded.Results A total of 55 times of TAI combined with lipiodol chemoembolization procedures were successfully accomplished in the 37 patients.The mean used amount of lipiodol emulsion was 2.9 mL(0.8-10 mL).No serious complications such as bleeding and intestinal perforation occurred.The median follow-up time was 24 months(range of 3-48 months).The postoperative one-month,3-month,6-month and 12-month objective remission rates(ORR)were 67.6%(25/37),67.6%(25/37),64.9%(24/37)and 56.8%(21/37)respectively,and the postoperative one-month,3-month,6-month and 12-month disease control rates(DCR)were 91.9%(34/37),91.9%(34/37),89.2%(33/37)and 81.1%(30/37)respectively.The median PFS was 16 months(range of 2-47 months).As of the last follow-up,22 patients survived and 15 patients died of terminal stage of tumor.Conclusion Preliminary results of this study indicate that TAI combined with lipiodol chemoembolization is clinically safe and effective for advanced CRC,and it provide a new therapeutic method for patients with advanced CRC.

The nomogram based on preoperative inflammatory biomarkers used for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization:its construction and validation / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To construct and validate a predictive model based on preoperative inflammatory biomarkers,and to evaluate its ability in predicting the prognosis of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)after receiving transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE).Methods A total of 544 patients with HCC,who received TACE as the initial treatment at six medical institutions between January 2007 and December 2020,were retrospectively collected.The patients were divided into training cohort(n=376)and validation cohort(n=168).LASSO algorithm and Cox regression analysis were used to screen out the independent influencing factors and to make modelling.The model was validated based on the discrimination,calibration and clinical applicability,and the Kaplan-Meier risk stratification curves were plotted to determine the prognostic differences between groups.The likelihood ratio chi-square value,R2 value,akaike information criterion(AIC)value,C-index and AUROC value of the model were calculated to determine its accuracy and efficiency.Results The training cohort and validation cohort had 376 participants and 168 participants respectively.Multivariate analysis indicated that BCLC,tumor size,number of tumor lesions,neutrophil and prognostic nutritional index(PNI)were the independent influencing factors for postoperative overall survival(OS),with all P being＜0.05;the BCLC grade,tumor size,number of tumor lesions,NLR,PNI and PS score were the independent influencing factors for progression-free survival(PFS),with all P being＜0.05.The C-indexes of the OS and PFS models were 0.735(95％ CI=0.708-0.762)and 0.736(95％ CI=0.711-0.761)respectively,and the external validation was 0.721(95％ CI=0.680-0.762)and 0.693(95％ CI=0.656-0.730)respectively.Ideal discrimination ability of the nomogram was exhibited in time-dependent C-index,time-dependent ROC,and time-dependent AUC.The calibration curves significantly coincided with the ideal standard lines,indicating that the model had high stability and low over-fitting level.Decision curve analysis revealed that there was a wider range of threshold probabilities and it could augment net benefits.The Kaplan-Meier curves for risk stratification indicated that the prognosis of patients varied dramatically between risk categories(P＜0.000 1).The Kaplan-Meier curves for risk stratification indicated that the prognosis of patients varied dramatically among different risk groups(P＜0.000 1).The likelihood ratio chi-square value,R2 value,AIC value,C-index and AUROC value of the model were better than those of other models commonly used in clinical practice.Conclusion The newly-developed prognostic nomogram based on preoperative inflammatory indicators has excellent accuracy as well as excellent prediction effect in predicting the prognosis of patients with unresectable HCC after receiving TACE,therefore,it can be used as an effective tool for guiding individualized treatment and for predicting prognosis.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,33:245-258)

The effect of CalliSpheres DEB-TACE and c-TACE on liver fibrosis and liver function in treating primary hepatocellular carcinoma / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To compare the effects of CalliSpheres drug-eluting beads transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(DEB-TACE)and conventional TACE(c-TACE)on liver fibrosis and liver function in the treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods A total of 40 patients diagnosed with HCC at Xuzhou Municipal Cancer Hospital of China between October 2020 and October 2022 were enrolled in this study.According to therapeutic scheme,the patients were divided into DEB-TACE group(n=20)and c-TACE group(n=20).The preoperative,and postoperative 5-day and one-month hyaluronidase(HA),type Ⅲ procollagen peptide(P Ⅲ NP),type Ⅳ collagen(CⅣ)and laminin(LN),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),total bilirubin(TBil),albumin(Alb),and prothrombin time(PT)were compared between the two groups.Results The technical success rate was 100％in both groups,and tumor staining completely disappeared immediately after TACE in all patients.The postoperative 5-day levels of HA,LN,P Ⅲ NP,and CⅣ in both groups were remarkably higher than the preoperative ones(P＜0.05).One month after TACE,HA level in the DEB-TACE group was prominently higher than its preoperative value(P＜0.05);HA and LN levels in the c-TACE group were obviously higher than their preoperative values(P＜0.05);and the HA and LN levels in c-TACE group were significantly higher than those in DEB-TACE group(P＜0.05).Five days after TACE,in the DEB-TACE group the AST and PT levels were higher than their preoperative values while the Alb level was lower than its preoperative value(P＜0.05);in the c-TACE group the ALT,AST,TBiL and PT were higher than their preoperative values while the Alb level was lower than its preoperative value(P＜0.05);the ALT and AST levels in the c-TACE group were strikingly higher than those in the DEB-TACE group while Alb level was strikingly lower than that in the DEB-TACE group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Both CalliSpheres DEB-TACE and c-TACE can aggravate liver fibrosis and cause liver function damage.However,the degree of liver fibrosis and liver function damage caused by CalliSpheres DEB-TACE is less than that caused by c-TACE.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,33:259-263)

Efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for the treatment of locally recurrent breast cancer / 介入放射学杂志

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)for the treatment of locally recurrent breast cancer.Methods The clinical data of 57 patients with locally recurrent breast cancer from January 2018 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.Twenty-four patients(group A)received TACE using adriamycin 12 mg/m2 and paclitaxel 45 mg/m2,which was accomplished by local perfusion into the tumor target blood vessels with microcatheter catheterization,the embolization material was Embosphere microspheres,and the embolization endpoint was occlusion of the main stem of the target vessel.Other 33 patients who received systemic chemotherapy using adriamycin 40 mg/m2 and paclitaxel 135 mg/m2 in the same period were collected as group B.The 6-month disease control rate(DCR),progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)were compared between the two groups.Results Successful TACE was accomplished in all the 24 patients of group A,with a technical success rate of 100％.In group A,the 6-month DCR was 87.50％,the median PFS was 12 months,and the median OS was 22 months.In group B,the 6-month DCR was 63.63％,the median PFS was 9 months,and the median OS was 20 months.The differences in the 6-month DCR and the median PFS between the two groups were statistically significant(P=0.04 and P=0.03 respectively),while no statistically significant difference in the median OS existed between the two groups(P=0.21).The incidence of post-embolization syndrome in group A was 75％(18/24),the clinical symptoms included chest wall pain and mild fever,which disappeared 3 days after symptomatic treatment such as pain-relief and antipyretic medication,and no TACE-related serious complications such as target vessel injury,ectopic embolization of embolization materials or chest wall necrosis occurred in all patients.All patients were followed up for a mean period of(19.47±4.96)months(range of 8-24 months)Conclusion For the treatment of locally recurrent breast cancer,TACE is superior to systemic chemotherapy in short-term efficacy.TACE carries no intervention-related serious complications.However,more studies need to be conducted before its long-term efficacy and safety can be clarified.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,33:280-284)

Technical details and latest progress of bronchial artery chemoembolization / 介入放射学杂志

At present,bronchial arterial chemoembolization(BACE)is a well-established,local minimally-invasive palliative treatment technique for mid-to-advanced primary lung cancer.However,its technical details are still controversial,and it is difficult to standardize each technical detail.Through reviewing the literature,this paper provides a detailed review of BACE,focusing on the source of lung cancer blood supply,embolization materials,particle size of embolization materials,number of treatments,embolization endpoints,selection of anti-tumor drugs,complications,therapeutic effect,etc.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,33:330-334)

Efficacy and safety of transhepatic arterial chemoembolization combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitor and programmed death receptor-1 inhibitors in the treatment of intermediate and a-dvanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma / 临床外科杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of transhepatic arterial chemoembolization(TACE)combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors(TKIs)and programmed death receptors-1(PD-1)inhibitors(TACE+TKIs+PD-1 antibody)in the treatment of moderate advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods The clinical data of 65 patients with moderate advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College from January 2020 to January 2022 were analyzed retrospectively.65 patients were treated with TACE+TKIs+PD-1 antibody.The observation indexes were tumor response,objective response rate(ORR),disease control rate(DCR),total survival time,progression free survival time,conversion operation rate and adverse drug reaction.Results The ORR of 65 p-atients with hepatocellular carcinoma was 49.2％(32/65),and the DCR was 89.2％(58/65).Among them,there were 2 patients with complete remission(CR),30 patients with partial remission(PR),26 patients with stable disease(SD),and 7 patients with progression disease(PD).Among 65 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma,18 patients were transformed into resectable hepatocell-ular carcinoma and underwent RO surgery.The conversion rate was 27.6％(18/65).65 patients were followed up for 3 to 22.4 months,The median follow-up time was 16.5 months.The median overall survival time and median disease progression free survival time of 65 patients were 14.5 months(95％CI:12.3～16.6 months)and 8.8 months(95％CI:6.9～10.6 months),respectively.After treatment,65 patients all had post embolism syndrome(abdominal pain,fever,nausea,vomiting and other symptoms),and some patients had transient abnormal liver function.Adverse drug reactions below grade 3 recovered within a few days.Some patients were associated with multiple adverse drug reactions.1 patient(1.5％)stopped using TACE because of stubborn vomiting,and 5 patients(7.6％)stopped using Lenvatinib because of severe liver function damage during treatment,2 patients(3％)stopped using Camrelizumab because of severe reactive capillary hyperplasia,one patient(1.5％)stopped using Tislelizumab because of severe hypothyroidism,one patient(1.5％)stopped the treatment of Lenvatinib and Sintilimab due to severe gastrointestinal bleeding.The adverse drug reactions of grade 3～4 occurred in other patients were alleviated after drug reduction,symptomatic treatment and hormone treatment.Conclusion TACE+TKIs+PD-1 antibody can obtain reliable clinical efficacy and anti-tumor activity in the treatment of moderate advanced unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Application value of dual-layer spectral CT 45 keV single energy image in follow up after TACE for hepatocellular carcinoma / 实用放射学杂志

Objective To investigate the application value of dual-layer spectral computed tomography(DLCT)45 keV single energy image in follow up after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods The DLCT images of 60 patients with HCC after TACE treatment were analyzed retrospectively.The CT value and standard deviation(SD)value of the lesion region of interest(ROI)and surrounding normal liver parenchyma on two kinds of images with 45 keV energy spectrum CT and 120 kVp conventional CT were measured respectively,then the contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR)between the lesions and surrounding normal liver parenchyma was calculated,and their differences were compared.The image quality of the two kinds of images was scored subjectively with the 3-point method,and the patients were divided into different groups according to the enhance-ment degree and tumor staining.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was also drawn.Results(1)There was no signif-icant difference in CNR between arterial phase,portal phase,and delayed phase of 120 kVp conventional CT(Hc=1.128,P>0.05).The CNR of 45 keV energy spectrum CT was higher than that of 120 kVp conventional CT,with a statistically significant difference(Z=5.060,P<0.05).(2)The subjective score of 45 keV energy spectrum CT was higher than that of 120 kVp conventional CT,and the difference was statistically significant(Z=5.335,P<0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that 45 keV energy spectrum CT had a larger area under the curve(AUC)than 120 kVp conventional CT,and the difference was statistically significant(Z=4.136,P<0.001).Conclusion 45 keV energy spectrum CT image can significantly improve the CNR between tumor and normal liver parenchyma,and it has the better image quality and higher diagnostic efficiency.

Development and predictive efficiency test of a risk assessment tool for chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in patients with primary liver cancer / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To develop a risk assessment tool for chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in patients with primary liver cancer, and to verify its predictive efficiency, so as to provide reference for risk assessment and nursing intervention of nausea and vomiting in patients with primary liver cancer.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was used. The risk assessment tool was compiled by using literature analysis, Delphi expert consultation and analytic hierarchy process. 153 patients with primary liver cancer who underwent transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in the Department of Intervention, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital from May 2022 to April 2023 were selected for assessment by using convenience sampling method. Receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, specificity and Youden index were used to test the prediction efficiency of risk assessment tools.Results:Among 153 patients, there were 78 males, 75 females, aged (48.44 ± 7.76) years old. The expert positive coefficient of the three rounds of inquiry letters was all 100%, the expert authority coefficient was 0.936, 0.950 and 0.960 respectively, and the Kendall harmony coefficient was 0.490, 0.327 and 0.414 respectively (all P<0.01). The risk assessment tool for chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in patients with primary liver cancer included 14 items. The results of prediction efficiency analysis showed that the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.938 (95% CI 0.903-0.974, P<0.01). When the cut-off score was 56.2, the sensitivity, specificity and Youden index of the risk assessment tool were 0.926, 0.881 and 0.807, which had the best prediction efficiency. Conclusions:The risk assessment tool for chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in patients with primary liver cancer has high scientificity, predictive efficiency and practicability, and is suitable for the risk assessment for chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in patients with primary liver cancer in China.

Clinical efficacy of CalliSpheres drug-loaded microspheres versus blank microspheres in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer by transarterial chemoembolization / 实用医学杂志

Objective To analyze and compare the clinical efficacy of CalliSpheres drug-eluting micro-spheres and blank microspheres in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer by bronchial arterial chemoembolization.Methods Fifty patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who had failed or relapsed after radiotherapy,chemotherapy,targeting and immunotherapy were collected and treated with super-selective bronchial artery chemoembolization.A retrospective analysis was conducted to compare the tumor response rate and survival between CalliSpheres drug-eluting and blank microspheres.Results The PR,ORR and DCR in the drug-eluted microsphere group were higher than those in the blank microsphere group,and there was a statistical difference in DCR between the two groups 1 month after surgery(χ2 = 4.08,P = 0.04).PD in the drug-eluted microsphere group was lower than that in the blank microsphere group.The CEA,CYF and SCC in the drug-eluted microsphere group after surgery were lower than those in the blank microsphere group,and the CEA,CYF and SCC in the two groups after surgery were lower than those before surgery,and there were statistical differences in CEA and CYF 1 month after surgery between the two groups.The PFS and OS in drug-eluted microsphere group were higher than those in blank microsphere group.Conclusion CalliSpheres drug-eluting microspheres could improve the effective rate of tumor treatment and prolong the survival time more effectively than the blank micro-spheres via arterial chemoembolization,providing reliable clinical practice basis for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Assessment value of X-ray angiography in postoperative recurrence,curative effect and the reduction of the perfusion of liver tumor of interventional TACE for liver cancer / 中国医学装备

Objective:To investigate the assessment value of X-ray angiography in postoperative recurrence,curative effect and reduction of the perfusion of liver tumor of interventional transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)for liver cancer.Methods:A total of 59 patients with liver cancer who were treated in The Third the People's Hospital of Bengbu from January 2015 to December 2020 were selected.All patients underwent the examination of routine X-ray angiography one week before surgery and four weeks after surgery.The obtained image sequences were imported into the workstation equipped with imaging technology software of color coded digital subtraction angiography(ccDSA)to conduct analysis.The region of interest(ROI)was manually defined on the ccDSA images before and after TACE.And then,the time intensity curve was obtained,and the quantitative perfusion parameters included the time to peak(TTP),area under curve(AUC),maximum slope(MS)were exported from that.The receiver operating characteristics(ROC)curve was drawn,and the area under curve(AUC)of that was calculated to analyze the assessment efficacy of perfusion parameters on the postoperative recurrence,curative effect and reduction of the perfusion of liver tumor of TACE for liver cancer.Results:In the 59 patients who were included in the study,39 cases occurred postoperative recurrence and 20 cases did not occurred postoperative recurrence according to the definition of postoperative recurrence,and the perfusion TTP(7.38±1.22)s of patients with postoperative recurrence was significantly lower than that(9.03±1.01)s of patients without postoperative recurrence,and the difference of that between them was significant(t=5.198,P<0.05).The AUC and MS of patients with postoperative recurrence were significantly lower than those of patients without postoperative recurrence(t=2.868,31.499,P<0.05),respectively.There were not significant differences in TTP,AUC and MS between patients with and without postoperative recurrence before surgery(P>0.05).According to the determination criteria of curative effect,35 cases were effectiveness,and 24 cases were ineffectiveness,and the postoperative TTP(9.09±1.08)s of patients with effectiveness was significantly higher than that(7.84±2.07)s of patients without effectiveness(t=3.029,P<0.05),and AUC and MS of patients with effectiveness were significantly higher than those of patients without ineffectiveness(t=3.852,54.366,P<0.05),and there were not significant differences in preoperative TTP,AUC and MS between patients with and without effectiveness(P>0.05),and the values of TTP,AUC and MS of the group with effectiveness and group without effectiveness after surgery were significantly higher than those before surgery,and the differences of them between two groups were significant(t=3.029,3.852,54.366,P<0.05),respectively.According to the grading criteria of subjective angiographic endpoints(SACE),33 cases were grade Ⅲ,and 26 cases were grade Ⅳ,and there were not significant in TTP,AUC and MS between patients with grade Ⅲ and patients with grade IV(P>0.05).The postoperative TTP,AUC and MS of patients with grade Ⅳ were significantly lower than those of patients with grade Ⅲ(t=7.679,3.498,58.968,P<0.05),respectively.The sensitivities of TTP,AUC and MS were respectively 66.70%,89.70% and 59.00% in assessing postoperative recurrence of interventional TACE for liver cancer,and the specificities of them were respectively 55.00%,55.00% and 55.00%,and the AUC values of them were respectively 0.629(95% CI:0.478-0.779),0.827(95% CI:0.723-0.931)and 0.512(95% CI:0.356-0.667).The sensitivities of TTP,AUC and MS were respectively 64.10%,79.50% and 61.50% in assessing postoperatively curative effect of interventional TACE for liver cancer,and the specificities of them were respectively 55.00%,65.00% and 55.00%,and the AUC values of them were respectively 0.609(95% CI:0.462-0.756),0.808(95% CI:0.698-0.918)and 0.580(95% CI:0.413-0.747).The sensitivities of TTP,AUC and MS were respectively 69.20%,82.10% and 53.80% in assessing the postoperative reduction of the perfusion of liver tumor of interventional TACE for liver cancer,and the specificities of them were respectively 70.00%,75.00% and 55.00%,and the AUC values of them were respectively 0.745(95% CI:0.613-0.877),0.842(95% CI:0.724-0.960)and 0.507(95% CI:0.360-0.654).Conclusion:The TTP,AUC and MS of perfusion parameters that are obtained by ccDSA quantitative analysis for the data after X-ray angiography examination have a certain application value in assessing the postoperative recurrence,curative effect and the reduction of the perfusion of liver tumor of interventional TACE for liver cancer.

The value of radiomics combined with deep learning based on preoperative CT images in predicting the curative effect of transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华放射学杂志

Objective:To explore the value of radiomics and deep learning in predicting the efficacy of initial transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:This was a cohort study. The imaging and clinical information of HCC patients treated with TACE in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from January 2015 to January 2021 were collected retrospectively. A total of 265 patients were divided into response group (175 cases) and non-response group (90 cases) according to the modified solid tumor efficacy evaluation criteria (mRECIST) 1 to 2 months after initial TACE. According to the proportion of 8∶2, the patients were randomly divided into training group (212 cases, 140 responders and 72 non-responders) and test set (53 cases, 35 responders and 18 non-responders). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to screen clinical variables and construct a clinical model. The radiomics features were extracted from the preoperative CT images, and radiomics model was constructed after feature dimensionality reduction. Using the deep learning method, three residual network (ResNet) models (ResNet18, ResNet50 and ResNet101) were established, and their effectiveness was compared and integrated to build a deep learning model with best performance. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to combine pairwise three models to establish the combined model. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the performance of the model to distinguish between TACE response and non-response groups.Results:In the test set, the area under the curve (AUC) of the clinical model and the radiomics model in the differentiation between response and non-response after TACE were 0.730 (95% CI 0.569-0.891) and 0.775 (95% CI 0.642-0.907). The AUC of ResNet18, ResNet50 and ResNet101 were 0.719, 0.748 and 0.533, respectively. The AUC for deep learning model obtained by integrating ResNet18 and ResNet50 was 0.806 (95% CI 0.665-0.946). After pairwise fusion, the combined deep learning-radiomics model showed the highest performance, with an AUC of 0.843 (95% CI 0.730-0.956), which was better than those of the deep learning-clinical model (AUC of 0.838, 95% CI 0.719-0.957) and the radiomics-clinical model (AUC of 0.786, 95% CI 0.648-0.898). Conclusions:The combined model of radiomics and deep learning has high performance in predicting the curative effect of TACE in patients with HCC before operation.

Effect of thrombocytosis on prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma after TACE / 中华肝胆外科杂志

Objective:To analyze the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with thrombocytosis (platelet count ≥350×10 9) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), and the effect of thrombocytosis on the prognosis of patients with HCC after TACE. Methods:Clinical data of 867 patients with HCC admitted to the Department of Interventional Radiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2013 to May 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. After propensity score matching, 99 patients were enrolled, including 70 males and 29 females, aged (60.1±12.1) years. Patients were divided into the groups with thrombocytosis ( n=33) and without thrombocytosis ( n=66). The gender, maximum tumor diameter, Barcelona clinical liver cancer (BCLC) stage, and total bilirubin were compared between the two groups. The association of thrombocytosis with the prognosis of HCC after TACE treatment were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression. Results:After propensity score matching, the male proportion, maximum tumor diameter, BCLC stage, and serum level of total bilirubin were comparable between the groups (all P>0.05). Before TACE treatment, the platelet count of patients with thrombocytosis was (394.4±54.5)×10 9/L, which was higher than that after TACE [(278.2±86.4)×10 9/L, t=7.63, P<0.001]. The progression-free survival rates after TACE in without thrombocytosis group were 83.3%, 24.2%, and 7.6% at 3, 6 and 9 months, respectively, better than those in thrombocytosis group (51.5%, 3.0%, and 3.0%, respectively; χ2=31.24, P<0.001). The overall survival rates after TACE in without thrombocytosis group were 81.8%, 30.3%, and 4.5% at 1, 2 and 3 years, respectively, better than those in thrombocytosis group (15.2%, 9.1%, and 3.0%, respectively; χ2=27.89, P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that patients of HCC with thrombocytosis had an increased risk of tumor progression ( HR=5.785, 95% CI: 3.291-10.168, P<0.001) and increased risk of death ( HR=4.090, 95% CI: 2.482-6.740, P<0.001) after TACE. Conclusion:The prognosis of TACE for HCC might be worse in patients with thrombocytosis. Thrombocytosis is a risk factor for cumulative survival and progression-free survival of HCC patients after TACE.