Liver transplantation and liver resection as alternative treatments for primary hepatobiliary and secondary liver tumors: Competitors or allies?

Although Starzl designed in the 1960’s liver transplantation(LT)to treat unresectable primary and also secondary liver tumors,transplantation still occupies a(too)small place in the respective therapeutic algorithms[1].Due to the lack of(any)selection criteria,the concept of transplantation became rapidly challenged because of the prohibitively high incidence of tumor recurrence[1–3].

Glycogen metabolism-mediated intercellular communication in the tumor microenvironment influences liver cancer prognosis

Glycogen metabolism plays a key role in the development of hepatoellular carcinoma(HCC),but the function of glycogen metabolism genes in the tumor microenvironment(TME)is still to be elucidated.Single cell RNA-seq data were obtained from ten HCC tumor samples totaling 64,545 cells and 65 glycogen metabolism genes were analyzed bya nonnegative matrix factorization(NMF).The prognosis and immune response of new glycogen TME cell dusters were predicted by using HCC and immunotherapy cohorts from public databases.HOC single cell analysis was divided into fibroblasts,NT T cells,macrophages,endothelial clls,and B cells,which were separately divided into new cell clusters by glycogen metabolism gene annotation.Pseudo temporal trajectory analysis demonstrated the temporal differentiation trajectory of different glycogen subtype cell dusters.Cellular communication analysis revealed extensive interactions between endothelial cells with glycogen metabolizing TME cell.related subtypes and diferent glycogen subtype cell clusters.SCENIC analysis of transcription factors upstream of TME cell clusters with different glycogen metabolism.In addition,TME cell dusters of glycogen metabolism were found to be enriched in expression in CAF subtypes,CD8 depleted,M1,and M2 types.Bulk seq analysis showed the prognostic signifcance of glycogen metabolism.mediated TME cell dusters in HCC,while a significant immune response was found in the immunotherapy cohort in patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade(ICB),especially for CAFs,T cells,and macrophages In summary,our study reveals for the first time that glycogen metabolism mediates intercellular communication in the hepatocellular carcinoma microenvironment while elucidating the anti-tumor mechanisms and immune prognostic responses of different subtypes of cell dusters.

Calculus bovis inhibits M2 tumor-associated macrophage polarization via Wnt/β-catenin pathway modulation to suppress liver cancer

BACKGROUND Calculus bovis(CB),used in traditional Chinese medicine,exhibits anti-tumor effects in various cancer models.It also constitutes an integral component of a compound formulation known as Pien Tze Huang,which is indicated for the treatment of liver cancer.However,its impact on the liver cancer tumor microenvironment,particularly on tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs),is not well understood.AIM To elucidate the anti-liver cancer effect of CB by inhibiting M2-TAM polarization via Wnt/β-catenin pathway modulation.METHODS This study identified the active components of CB using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS,evaluated its anti-neoplastic effects in a nude mouse model,and elucidated the underlying mechanisms via network pharmacology,transcriptomics,and molecular docking.In vitro assays were used to investigate the effects of CB-containing serum on HepG2 cells and M2-TAMs,and Wnt pathway modulation was validated by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis.RESULTS This study identified 22 active components in CB,11 of which were detected in the bloodstream.Preclinical investigations have demonstrated the ability of CB to effectively inhibit liver tumor growth.An integrated approach employing network pharmacology,transcriptomics,and molecular docking implicated the Wnt signaling pathway as a target of the antineoplastic activity of CB by suppressing M2-TAM polarization.In vitro and in vivo experiments further confirmed that CB significantly hinders M2-TAM polarization and suppresses Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation.The inhibitory effect of CB on M2-TAMs was reversed when treated with the Wnt agonist SKL2001,confirming its pathway specificity.CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that CB mediates inhibition of M2-TAM polarization through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway,contributing to the suppression of liver cancer growth.

Liver transplantation as an alternative for the treatment of neuroendocrine liver metastasis: Appraisal of the current evidence

Background:Liver transplantation(LT)for neuroendocrine liver metastases(NELM)is still in debate.Studies comparing LT with liver resection(LR)for NELM are scarce,as patient selection is heterogeneous and experience is limited.The goal of this review was to provide a critical analysis of the evidence on LT versus LR in the treatment of NELM.Data sources:A scoping literature search on LT and LR for NELM was performed with PubMed,including English articles up to March 2023.Results:International guidelines recommend LR for NELM in resectable,well-differentiated tumors in the absence of extrahepatic metastatic disease with superior results of LR compared to systemic or liver-directed therapies.Advanced liver surgery has extended resectability criteria whilst entailing increased perioperative risk and short disease-free survival.In highly selected patients(based on the Milan criteria)with unresectable NELM,oncologic results of LT are promising.Prognostic factors include tumor biology(G1/G2)and burden,waiting time for LT,patient age and extrahepatic spread.Based on low-level evi-dence,LT for low-grade NELM within the Milan criteria resulted in improved disease-free survival and overall survival compared to LR.The benefits of LT were lost in patients beyond the Milan NELM-criteria.Conclusions:With adherence to strict selection criteria especially tumor biology,LT for NELM is becoming a valuable option providing oncologic benefits compared to LR.Recent evidence suggests even stricter selection criteria with regard to tumor biology.

Baseline radiologic features as predictors of efficacy in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors with liver metastases receiving surufatinib

Objective:Currently,pre-treatment prediction of patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors with liver metastases(PNELM)receiving surufatinib treatment was unsatisfying.Our objective was to examine the association between radiological characteristics and efficacy/prognosis.Methods:We enrolled patients with liver metastases in the phase III,SANET-p trial(NCT02589821)and obtained contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CECT)images.Qualitative and quantitative parameters including hepatic tumor margins,lesion volumes,enhancement pattern,localization types,and enhancement ratios were evaluated.The progression-free survival(PFS)and hazard ratio(HR)were calculated using Cox’s proportional hazard model.Efficacy was analyzed by logistic-regression models.Results:Among 152 patients who had baseline CECT assessments and were included in this analysis,the surufatinib group showed statistically superior efficacy in terms of median PFS compared to placebo across various qualitative and quantitative parameters.In the multivariable analysis of patients receiving surufatinib(N=100),those with higher arterial phase standardized enhancement ratio-peri-lesion(ASER-peri)exhibited longer PFS[HR=0.039;95%confidence interval(95%CI):0.003−0.483;P=0.012].Furthermore,patients with a high enhancement pattern experienced an improvement in the objective response ratio[31.3%vs.14.7%,odds ratio(OR)=3.488;95%CI:1.024−11.875;P=0.046],and well-defined tumor margins were associated with a higher disease control rate(DCR)(89.3%vs.68.2%,OR=4.535;95%CI:1.285−16.011;P=0.019)compared to poorlydefined margins.Conclusions:These pre-treatment radiological features,namely high ASER-peri,high enhancement pattern,and well-defined tumor margins,have the potential to serve as predictive markers of efficacy in patients with PNELM receiving surufatinib.

Radiofrequency ablation is an inferior option to liver resection for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma≤5 cm without cirrhosis:A population-based study with stratification by tumor size

Background:About 10%-20%of all individuals who develop hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)do not have cirrhosis.Comparisons are rarely reported regarding the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation(RFA)and liver resection(LR)in survival of HCC without cirrhosis and stratification by tumor size≤5 cm.Methods:We used the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results(SEER)database and identified 1505 patients with a solitary HCC tumor≤5 cm who underwent RFA or LR during 2004-2015.Patients were classified into non-cirrhosis and cirrhosis groups and each group was categorized into three subgroups,according to tumor size(≤30 mm,31-40 mm,41-50 mm).Results:In patients without cirrhosis,LR showed better 5-year HCC cancer-specific survival than RFA in all tumor size subgroups(≤30 mm:82.51%vs.56.42%;31-40 mm:71.31%vs.46.83%;41-50 mm:74.7%vs.37.5%;all P<0.05).Compared with RFA,LR was an independent protective factor for HCC cancer-specific survival in multivariate Cox analysis[≤30 mm:hazard ratio(HR)=0.533,95%confidence interval(CI):0.313-0.908;31-40 mm:HR=0.439,95%CI:0.201-0.957;41-50 mm:HR=0.382;95%CI:0.159-0.916;all P<0.05].In patients with cirrhosis,for both tumor size≤30 mm and 31-40 mm groups,there were no significant survival differences between RFA and LR in multivariate analysis(all P>0.05).However,in those with tumor size 41-50 mm,LR showed significantly better 5-year HCC cancer-specific survival than RFA in both univariate(54.72%vs.23.06%;P<0.001)and multivariate analyses(HR=0.297;95%CI:0.136-0.648;P=0.002).Conclusions:RFA is an inferior treatment option to LR for patients without cirrhosis who have a solitary HCC tumor≤5 cm.

Liver Tumors Segmentation Using 3D SegNet Deep Learning Approach

An ultrasonic filter detects signs of malignant tumors by analysing the image’s pixel quality fluctuations caused by a liver ailment.Signs of malignant growth proximity are identified in an ultrasound filter through image pixel quality variations from a liver’s condition.Those changes are more common in alcoholic liver conditions than in other etiologies of cirrhosis,suggesting that the cause may be alcohol instead of liver disease.Existing Two-Dimensional(2D)ultrasound data sets contain an accuracy rate of 85.9%and a 2D Computed Tomography(CT)data set of 91.02%.The most recent work on designing a Three-Dimensional(3D)ultrasound imaging system in or close to real-time is examined.In this article,a Deep Learning(DL)model is implemented and modified to fit liver CT segmentation,and a semantic pixel classification of road scenes is recommended.The architecture is called semantic pixel-wise segmentation and comprises a hierarchical link of encoder-decoder layers.A standard data set was used to test the proposed model for liver CT scans and the tumor accuracy in the training phase.For the normal class,we obtained 100%precision for chronic cirrhosis hepatitis(73%),offset cirrhosis(59.26%),and offensive cirrhosis(91.67%)for chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis(73,0%).The aim is to develop a Computer-Aided Detection(CAD)screening tool to detect steatosis.The results proved 98.33%exactness,94.59%sensitivity,and 92.11%case with Convolutional Neural Networks(CNN)classification.Although the classifier’s performance did not differentiate so clearly at this level,it was recommended that CNN generally perform better due to the good relationship between Area under the Receiver Operating Characteristics Curve(AUC)and accuracy.

Liver Tumor Prediction with Advanced Attention Mechanisms Integrated into a Depth-Based Variant Search Algorithm

In recent days,Deep Learning(DL)techniques have become an emerging transformation in the field of machine learning,artificial intelligence,computer vision,and so on.Subsequently,researchers and industries have been highly endorsed in the medical field,predicting and controlling diverse diseases at specific intervals.Liver tumor prediction is a vital chore in analyzing and treating liver diseases.This paper proposes a novel approach for predicting liver tumors using Convolutional Neural Networks(CNN)and a depth-based variant search algorithm with advanced attention mechanisms(CNN-DS-AM).The proposed work aims to improve accuracy and robustness in diagnosing and treating liver diseases.The anticipated model is assessed on a Computed Tomography(CT)scan dataset containing both benign and malignant liver tumors.The proposed approach achieved high accuracy in predicting liver tumors,outperforming other state-of-the-art methods.Additionally,advanced attention mechanisms were incorporated into the CNN model to enable the identification and highlighting of regions of the CT scans most relevant to predicting liver tumors.The results suggest that incorporating attention mechanisms and a depth-based variant search algorithm into the CNN model is a promising approach for improving the accuracy and robustness of liver tumor prediction.It can assist radiologists in their diagnosis and treatment planning.The proposed system achieved a high accuracy of 95.5%in predicting liver tumors,outperforming other state-of-the-art methods.

Tumor budding as a potential prognostic marker in determining the behavior of primary liver cancers

Hepatocellular(HCC)and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC),the most common primary tumors of the liver,are among the most important causes of cancer deaths worldwide.Because patients with primary liver tumors are frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage and have high mortality,many efforts have been made to identify new markers to determine their behavior and treatment,similar to those in other solid organ tumors.Recently,morphological assessment of tumor budding(TB)has been revealed as a promising prognostic finding to predict tumor behavior and survival across several different tumor types.Currently,the TB score in colorectal cancer has been revealed as an important parameter in pathology report protocols to determine the course of the disease.Regarding the liver,despite enormous data showing that many mechanisms involved in TB are associated with tumor behavior in both HCC and ICC,studies focusing on the role of TB in predicting the behavior and prognosis of these tumors have started to be investigated very recently.The purpose of this review is to present data about TB in primary tumors of the liver,pointing out the potential role of this parameter in determining the course of the disease,and emphasize the need to increase the number of further studies focusing on the evaluation of this parameter with an overview of the mechanisms involved in TB.

Liver Tumor Segmentation Based on Multi-Scale and Self-Attention Mechanism

Liver cancer has the second highest incidence rate among all types of malignant tumors,and currently,its diagnosis heavily depends on doctors’manual labeling of CT scan images,a process that is time-consuming and susceptible to subjective errors.To address the aforementioned issues,we propose an automatic segmentation model for liver and tumors called Res2Swin Unet,which is based on the Unet architecture.The model combines Attention-Res2 and Swin Transformer modules for liver and tumor segmentation,respectively.Attention-Res2 merges multiple feature map parts with an Attention gate via skip connections,while Swin Transformer captures long-range dependencies and models the input globally.And the model uses deep supervision and a hybrid loss function for faster convergence.On the LiTS2017 dataset,it achieves better segmentation performance than other models,with an average Dice coefficient of 97.0%for liver segmentation and 81.2%for tumor segmentation.

Liver Tumor Decision Support System on Human Magnetic Resonance Images:A Comparative Study

Liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide.Early tumor detection may help identify suitable treatment and increase the survival rate.Medical imaging is a non-invasive tool that can help uncover abnormalities in human organs.Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI),in particular,uses magnetic fields and radio waves to differentiate internal human organs tissue.However,the interpretation of medical images requires the subjective expertise of a radiologist and oncologist.Thus,building an automated diagnosis computer-based system can help specialists reduce incorrect diagnoses.This paper proposes a hybrid automated system to compare the performance of 3D features and 2D features in classifying magnetic resonance liver tumor images.This paper proposed two models;the first one employed the 3D features while the second exploited the 2D features.The first system uses 3D texture attributes,3D shape features,and 3D graphical deep descriptors beside an ensemble classifier to differentiate between four 3D tumor categories.On top of that,the proposed method is applied to 2D slices for comparison purposes.The proposed approach attained 100%accuracy in discriminating between all types of tumors,100%Area Under the Curve(AUC),100%sensitivity,and 100%specificity and precision as well in 3D liver tumors.On the other hand,the performance is lower in 2D classification.The maximum accuracy reached 96.4%for two classes and 92.1%for four classes.The top-class performance of the proposed system can be attributed to the exploitation of various types of feature selection methods besides utilizing the ReliefF features selection technique to choose the most relevant features associated with different classes.The novelty of this work appeared in building a highly accurate system under specific circumstances without any processing for the images and human input,besides comparing the performance between 2D and 3D classification.In the future,the presented work can be extended to be used in the huge dataset.Then,it can be a reliable,efficient Computer Aided Diagnosis(CAD)system employed in hospitals in rural areas.

A Huge Metastatic Liver of a Neuroendocrin Tumor Explored by SPECT/CT with 99mTc-Tektrotyd: A Case Report

Background: Colorectal neuroendocrine tumors are rare and have a heterogeneous clinical representation and variable prognosis. High grade neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are characterized by destructive and aggressive growth, followed by rapid spread. For this purpose, SPECT/CT with 99mTc-Tektrotyd is very useful for imaging and staging of NETs. Case Report: A 50-year-old man with a huge metastatic liver from an unknown neuroendocrine tumor (NET). SPECT/CT with 99mTc-Tektrotyd was performed in this patient, it showed a huge metastatic hepatomegaly compressing neighboring organs with bone metastases, and also revealed the primary colon tumor. Discussion and Conclusion: In recent decades, the incidence and prevalence of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), especially those of the colorectal segments, have been increasing. 99mTc-EDDA/HYNIC-TOC (Tektrotyd?) was introduced into the market and its use has been approved for scintigraphic imaging of patients with NETs and other SSTR-positive tumors. It provides in vivo metabolic data related to the over-expression of Somatostatin Receptors (SSTRs) and also predicts response to peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT).

Comprehensive review of hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombus:State of art and future perspectives

Background:Despite advances in the diagnosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),70%-80%of patients are diagnosed with advanced stage disease.Portal vein tumor thrombus(PVTT)is among the most ominous signs of advanced stage disease and has been associated with poor survival if untreated.Data sources:A systematic search of MEDLINE(PubMed),Embase,Cochrane Library and Database for Systematic Reviews(CDSR),Google Scholar,and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence(NICE)databases until December 2022 was conducted using free text and MeSH terms:hepatocellular carcinoma,portal vein tumor thrombus,portal vein thrombosis,vascular invasion,liver and/or hepatic resection,liver transplantation,and systematic review.Results:Centers of surgical excellence have reported promising results related to the individualized surgical management of portal thrombus versus arterial chemoembolization or systemic chemotherapy.Critical elements to the individualized surgical management of HCC and portal thrombus include precise classification of the portal vein tumor thrombus,accurate identification of the subgroups of patients who may benefit from resection,as well as meticulous surgical technique.This review addressed five specific areas:(a)formation of PVTT;(b)classifications of PVTT;(c)controversies related to clinical guidelines;(d)surgical treatments versus non-surgical approaches;and(e)characterization of surgical techniques correlated with classifications of PVTT.Conclusions:Current evidence from Chinese and Japanese high-volume centers demonstrated that patients with HCC and associated PVTT can be managed with surgical resection with acceptable results.

Hepatic perivascular epithelioid cell tumors:The importance of preoperative diagnosis

Accurate preoperative diagnosis is highly important for the treatment of perivascular epithelioid cell tumors(PEComas)because PEComas are mainly benign tumors and may not require surgical intervention.By analyzing the causes,properties and clinical manifestations of PEComas,we summarize the challenges and solutions in the diagnosis of PEComas.

Liver biopsy in the post-hepatitis C virus era in Japan

In Japan,liver biopsies were previously crucial in evaluating the severity of hepatitis caused by the hepatitis C virus(HCV)and diagnosing HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,due to the development of effective antiviral treatments and advanced imaging,the necessity for biopsies has significantly decreased.This change has resulted in fewer chances for diagnosing liver disease,causing many general pathologists to feel less confident in making liver biopsy diagnoses.This article provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and potential solutions related to liver biopsies in Japan.First,it highlights the importance of considering steatotic liver diseases as independent conditions that can coexist with other liver diseases due to their increasing prevalence.Second,it emphasizes the need to avoid hasty assumptions of HCC in nodular lesions,because clinically diagnosable HCCs are not targets for biopsy.Third,the importance of diagnosing hepatic immune-related adverse events caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors is increasing due to the anticipated widespread use of these drugs.In conclusion,pathologists should be attuned to the changing landscape of liver diseases and approach liver biopsies with care and attention to detail.

Complementary comments on metastatic liver lesions with exceptional and rare cases

Liver metastases can appear in different forms in magnetic resonance imaging.Contrary to popular belief,while radiologists report hypovascular or hypervascular metastatic lesions,exceptional examples may be detected in various tumors.The aim of this article is to improve this review by presenting rare and atypical examples of liver metastasis,as well as cases that might potentially be misdiagnosed as metastases during the process of differential diagnosis.

Pay attention to the application of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging technology in laparoscopic liver cancer resection

Traditional laparoscopic liver cancer resection faces challenges,such as difficultiesin tumor localization and accurate marking of liver segments,as well as theinability to provide real-time intraoperative navigation.This approach falls shortof meeting the demands for precise and anatomical liver resection.The introductionof fluorescence imaging technology,particularly indocyanine green,hasdemonstrated significant advantages in visualizing bile ducts,tumor localization,segment staining,microscopic lesion display,margin examination,and lymphnode visualization.This technology addresses the inherent limitations oftraditional laparoscopy,which lacks direct tactile feedback,and is increasinglybecoming the standard in laparoscopic procedures.Guided by fluorescenceimaging technology,laparoscopic liver cancer resection is poised to become thepredominant technique for liver tumor removal,enhancing the accuracy,safetyand efficiency of the procedure.

Unraveling the enigma:A comprehensive review of solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas(SPTP)is a rare neoplasm predom-inantly observed in young females.Pathologically,CTNNB1 mutations,β-catenin nuclear accumulation,and subsequent Wnt-signaling pathway activation are the leading molecular features.Accurate preoperative diagnosis often relies on imaging techniques and endoscopic biopsies.Surgical resection remains the mainstay treatment.Risk models,such as the Fudan Prognostic Index,show promise as predictive tools for assessing the prognosis of SPTP.Establishing three types of metachronous liver metastasis can be beneficial in tailoring individu-alized treatment and follow-up strategies.Despite advancements,challenges persist in understanding its etiology,establishing standardized treatments for unresectable or metastatic diseases,and developing a widely recognized grading system.This comprehensive review aims to elucidate the enigma by consolidating current knowledge on the epidemiology,clinical presentation,pathology,molecular characteristics,diagnostic methods,treatment options,and prognostic factors.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition for the diagnosis of focal liver lesion

In patients with liver tumors,the histopathology examination can assist in diagnosis,staging,prognosis,and therapeutic management strategy.Endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)-guided tissue acquisition using fine needle aspiration(FNA)or more newly fine needle biopsy(FNB)is a well-developed technique in order to evaluate and differentiate the liver masses.The goal of the EUS-FNA or EUS-FNB is to provide an accurate sample for a histopathology examination.Therefore,malignant tumors such as hepatocarcinoma,cholangiocarcinoma and liver metastasis or benign tumors such as liver adenoma,focal hyperplastic nodular tumors and cystic lesions can be accurately diagnosed using EUS-guided tissue acquisition.EUS-FNB using 19 or 22 Ga needle provide longer samples and a higher diagnostic accuracy in patients with liver masses when compared with EUS-FNA.Few data are available on the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNB when compared with percutaneously,ultrasound,computer tomography or transjugulary-guided liver biopsies.This review will discuss the EUS-guided tissue acquisition options in patients with liver tumors and its efficacy and safety in providing accurate samples.The results of the last studies comparing EUS-guided liver biopsy with other conventional techniques are presented.The EUS-guided tissue acquisition using FNB can be a suitable technique in suspected liver lesions in order to provide an accurate histopathology diagnosis,especially for those who require endoscopy.

Drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization as neoadjuvant therapy pre-liver transplantation for advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND The objectives of this study were to assess the safety and efficacy of drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization(DEB-TACE)as neoadjuvant therapy before liver transplantation(LT)for advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and to analyze the prognostic factors.AIM To determine whether DEB-TACE before LT is superior to LT for advanced-stage HCC.METHODS A total of 99 individuals diagnosed with advanced HCC were studied retrospectively.The participants were categorized into the following two groups based on whether they had received DEB-TACE before LT:DEB-TACE group(n=45)and control group(n=54).The participants were further divided into two subgroups based on the presence or absence of segmental portal vein tumor thrombus(PVTT).The DEB-TACE group consisted of two subgroups:Group A(n=31)without PVTT and group B(n=14)with PVTT.The control group also had two subgroups:Group C(n=37)without PVTT and group D(n=17)with PVTT.Data on patient demographics,disease characteristics,therapy response,and adverse events(AEs)were collected.The overall survival(OS)and recurrence-free survival(RFS)rates were assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves.Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to determine the parameters that were independently related to OS and RFS.RESULTS The DEB-TACE group exhibited an overall response rate of 86.6%.Following therapy,there was a significant decrease in the median alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)level(275.1 ng/mL vs 41.7 ng/mL,P<0.001).The main AE was post-embolization syndrome.The 2-year rates of RFS and OS were significantly higher in the DEB-TACE group than in the control group(68.9%vs 38.9%,P=0.003;86.7%vs 63.0%,P=0.008).Within the subgroups,group A had higher 2-year rates of RFS and OS compared to group C(71.0%vs 45.9%,P=0.038;83.8%vs 62.2%,P=0.047).The 2-year RFS rate of group B was markedly superior to that of group D(64.3%vs 23.5%,P=0.002).Results from multivariate analyses showed that pre-LT DEB-TACE[hazard ratio(HR)=2.73,95%confidence interval(CI):1.44-5.14,P=0.04],overall target tumor diameter≤7 cm(HR=1.98,95%CI:1.05-3.75,P=0.035),and AFP level≤400 ng/mL(HR=2.34;95%CI:1.30-4.19,P=0.009)were significant risk factors for RFS.Additionally,pre-LT DEBTACE(HR=3.15,95%CI:1.43-6.96,P=0.004)was identified as a significant risk factor for OS.CONCLUSION DEB-TACE is a safe and efficient therapy for advanced-stage HCC and also enhances patient survival after LT.