Transarterial Embolization and Microwave Ablation Combination Therapy in Early-stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Randomized Trial

This single-center, prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) is designed to compare the outcomes and clinicopathologic results of trans arterial embolization (TAE) and microwave ablation (MWA) combination therapy with MWA monotherapy for the treatment of early (stages 0 and A) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The primary aim of this study is to test the following hypothesis: 2-year intrahepatic disease-free survival does not differ between patients receiving the experimental therapy (MWA + TAE) and patients receiving the standard therapy (MWA alone) as treatment for early stage HCC. Secondary aims are: 1) to determine the clinical feasibility of TAE + MWA in HCC patients with a small tumor burden using patient demographics and disease characteristic data and 2) to determine the effect of TAE on radiographic tumor characteristics in this patient cohort.

The primary outcome is 2-year intrahepatic disease-free survival, which is measured from time of randomization and is defined as the absence of local or regional recurrence of HCC as determined by diagnostic imaging. Local recurrence is defined as an enhancing lesion contiguous with the ablation zone that is present on subsequent imaging but was not present on the initial post-ablation scan. Regional recurrence is defined as hepatic recurrence that is not adjacent to the ablation site.