Transarterial Infusion Chemotherapy With and Without Embolisation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy of transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) and iodised oil infusion chemotherapy without embolisation (TAI) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS We searched for randomised controlled trials, retrospective cohort studies, and two-arm prospective studies that compared the clinical outcomes in patients who received TACE and TAI treatment. Database search was performed through 14 December 2016. Rates of survival and therapy response were compared using odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS Survival rates and therapy response rates were similar between patients who received TACE and TAI treatments (pooled OR: 1.278; 95% CI, 0.783 to 2.086, P = 0.327; and pooled OR: 1.502; 95% CI, 0.930 to 2.426, P = 0.096, respectively). CONCLUSION Our results suggest that treatment intensification by adding embolisation did not increase overall survival and therapy response over TAI in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.