What's New in Transarterial Therapies for Hepatocellular Carcinoma?

Transarterial therapies play an important role in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, both in a palliative setting and as an adjunct to surgery. These therapies exploit the dual blood supply of the liver to selectively target tumors via the hepatic artery, while sparing nontumorous liver. Currently available therapies include transarterial embolization; chemoembolization, with or without drug-eluting beads; and radioembolization. Transarterial techniques are also being used in the development of novel therapies. This article provides an outline of the technical and clinical applications of intraarterial therapies in the treatment of HCC and highlights pertinent future directions.