OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, survival and prognosis of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) alone and TACE in combination with multimodality therapy for huge hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was conducted in 115 patients with huge hepatocellular carcinoma treated in our hospital from August 2008 to January 2012. Among them, 72 patients were treated by TACE alone (TACE group) and 43 patients by TACE plus multimodality therapy (TACE-combined treatment group). Their clinicopathological data and survival were analyzed.

RESULTSThe median follow-up of the 115 cases was 24 months (range 1-40 months). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival (OS) rates for the TACE group were 60.4,% 23.3% and 9.8%, respectively, and 39 months, 78.1%, 43.3% and 36.8%, respectively, for the combined treatment group (P < 0.001). The univariate analysis showed that the patient gender and age, HIV infection and AFP level were not significantly correlated with prognosis of the patients (P > 0.05 for all), while multimodality therapy, Child's grading, ECOG scores, distant metastasis, and portal vein tumor thrombus were significantly related to the overall survival. Moreover, the Cox multivariate survival analysis revealed that therapy and ECOG scores were independent prognostic indicators (P < 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONSMultimodality therapy is a safe and effective treatment for huge hepatocellular carcinoma. Multimodality therapy and ECOG scores are independent prognostic indicators for the patients.