PURPOSE To evaluate retrospectively the efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with hepatic vein invasion by comparing the results of conventional transarterial chemoembolization and modified transarterial chemoembolization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS From January 2000 to December 2009, 107 patients with HCC and hepatic vein invasion and Child-Pugh class A were treated by transarterial chemoembolization. Modified transarterial chemoembolization (conventional transarterial chemoembolization followed by additional infusion of 50-100 mg of cisplatin) has been undertaken since 2005. Clinical and radiologic data were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. The overall survival rates were obtained by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test.

RESULTS Conventional transarterial chemoembolization was performed in 60 patients, and modified transarterial chemoembolization was performed in 47 patients. No significant differences were observed in major complications between the groups. The median survival was longer in the modified group compared with the conventional group (9.7 mo, 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.3-15.1, vs 6.7 mo, 95% CI, 4.8-8.5; P = .047). By subgroup analysis, modified transarterial chemoembolization increased survival of patients with a diffuse tumor type (8.9 mo, 95% CI, 5.9-11.9, vs 3.8 mo, 95% CI, 2.5-5.0; P = .000) and patients without metastasis (20.9 mo, 95% CI, 12.2-29.5, vs 7.3 mo, 95% CI, 4.1-10.5; P = .005). Multivariate analysis identified three independent predictive factors for mortality: diffuse tumor type (P = .001), metastasis (P = .009), and modified transarterial chemoembolization protocol (P = .003).

CONCLUSIONS A survival benefit was suggested with transarterial chemoembolization with additional cisplatin infusion over conventional transarterial chemoembolization in patients with HCC invading the hepatic vein.