Transarterial Radioembolization (TARE): A Precision Approach to Liver Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the 3^rd leading cause of cancer death worldwide with approximately 900,000 new cases and 830,000 deaths reported annually.[1] Furthermore, every year, about one third patients with colorectal cancer present with or subsequently develop liver metastases. [2,3]. Curative treatment options including surgery (tumor resection or liver transplantation) or locoregional therapies such as ablation are reserved for early-stage disease. However, for advanced and metastatic disease, systemic therapy is usually used for widespread metastatic disease at the expense of relatively high complication rate.  There has been an ongoing effort to develop more effective and less toxic locoregional treatment approaches for patients with oligometastatic disease, including transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and transarterial radioembolization (TARE).[3] These therapies are focused on preventing local progress and cannot systemically control tumor growth.