title: Improvement of Survival Rate for Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Transarterial Chemoembolization in Combination with Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy: A Meta-Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has been used alone or in combination with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT) for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The overall survival rate of HCC patients undergoing both treatments, however, has not been systematically studied. The aim of this meta-analysis-based study was to evaluate the overall efficacy of the combined therapy or monotherapy, thereby providing information for clinical treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS We searched Google Scholar, PubMed, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) for eligible studies, and a total of 17 case-control studies (including HCC patients treated by TACE plus 3DCRT or TACE alone) were included to perform the meta-analysis. Based on the available data, we assessed the improvements of 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rate for the combination therapy of TACE and 3DCRT or TACE alone. Furthermore, the analysis was also stratified by the tumor response: complete response (CR), partial response (PR), no response (NR) and progressive disease (PD). Statistical analysis was performed using STATA 12 (Stata Statistical Software: Release 12). RESULTS The results show that HCC patients receiving combination therapy have significantly increased overall survival rate when compared to those receiving TACE alone (1-year survival rate: OR=1.95, 95% CI 1.54-2.47, p=7.3×10^-8; 2-year survival rate: OR=1.87, 95% CI 1.49-2.34, p=1.6×10^-7; 3-year survival rate: OR=2.00, 95% CI 1.52-2.64, p=1.8×10^-6). CONCLUSIONS Assessment of tumor response demonstrates that the combination therapy can efficiently increase the tumor response rate (CR+PR: OR=2.29, 95% CI 1.70-3.08, p=1.1×10^-7), with a lower rate of subsequent tumor development (PD: OR=0.25, 95% CI 0.15-0.40, p=5.5×10^-8).
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Maternity and Child Care, Weihai, Shandong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Houqiao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Maternity and Child Care, Weihai, Shandong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Imaging, Tumor Branch of Municipal Hospital, Weihai, Shandong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Maternity and Child Care, Weihai, Shandong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Guangxi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Maternity and Child Care, Weihai, Shandong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Chonghai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Bone Cancer, Yantaishan Hospital, Yantai, Shandong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: , Medical Sciences of Shandong, Jinan, Shandong, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Guosheng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome