Intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma: the role of transarterial therapy

According to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer, the recommended first-line treatment for patients with intermediate stage of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is transarterial chemoembolization. Patients with intermediate stage of HCC represent 20% with a 2-year survival of approximately 50%. Nowadays, transarterial therapies have proved precious in the treatment of hepatic malignancies. During the last years, there were important developments in practiced transarterial therapies and their efficacy is still controversial. The purpose of this review is to discuss in further details these transarterial therapies that have been used to treat cases of HCC.