Assessment of efficacy and safety of irreversible electroporation versus TACE for treatment of difficult location hepatocellular carcinoma

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA) are widely accepted as the established treatment options for patients diagnosed with early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who are deemed unfit for surgical procedures. However, the effective implementation of these techniques is hindered by various challenges, primarily associated with the precise targeting of tumors within the liver. The utilization of thermal ablative methods is not recommended for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that is located near intestinal loops, bile ducts, or in eccentric positions. The unmet need for non-thermal methods in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was addressed following the introduction of irreversible electroporation (IRE) as an innovative approach. To assess the efficacy, safety, and outcomes of IRE in the treatment of difficult-located HCC compared to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). This is a prospective study that included 24 patients with HCC who presented to the National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute (NHTMRI) during the period from January 2017 to January 2020. Ten patients underwent IRE, while 14 patients underwent TACE. Sixteen patients (66.7%) were males; eight patients were females (33.3%). Their median age was 60.5 years (48–70 years). Seventeen patients (70.8%) were Child–Pugh class A, while seven patients (29.2%) were Child–Pugh class B. All the study population had a single focal lesion; the mean size of the focal lesions was 2.94 ± 0.59 cm. The most frequent difficult locations of HCC were segment V focal lesions adjacent to both the common bile duct and portal vein in eight patients (33.3%) followed by lesions adjacent to the inferior vena cava in five patients (20%) followed by the subcapsular lesions in three patients (12.5%) and lesions adjacent to the right kidney in two patients (8.3%). Complete response (CR) was higher in the IRE group (80%) compared to the TACE group (50%). Clinical decompensation occurred in six patients in the IRE group (60%) and eight patients in the TACE group (57.1%) (P value 1). Recurrence occurred in five patients (50%) treated with IRE and in seven patients (50%) treated with TACE (P value 1). Within the IRE group, two patients (20%) remained alive; on the other hand, within the TACE group six patients (42.9%) remained alive by the end of the study (P value 0.388). Our data suggest that IRE is an effective procedure in the treatment of difficult-located HCC in terms of complete response, fewer sessions, and fewer side effects as compared to TACE.