Does drug-eluting bead transcatheter arterial chemoembolization improve the management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma? A meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Drug eluting beads (DEB) are relatively new embolic agents that allow sustained release of chemotherapeutic agents in a localized fashion to the tumor. This technique is associated with reduced systemic side effects relative to systemic chemotherapy and an increase in the dose of antineoplastic agent delivered to the lesion. The meta-analysis was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of DEB-transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the management of hepatocellular cancer.

Methods

We searched the Web of Science, PubMed, EBSCO, EMBASE, the Wiley Library and Google Scholar for studies on DEB-TACE in the management of hepatocellular cancer from 1979 to April 2013. The risk of bias was assessed using RevMan 5 · 1. Random and fixed-effects meta-analytical mode

SUBMITTER: Han S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4118844 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature