90Y Radioembolization versus Drug-eluting Bead Chemoembolization for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Results from the TRACE Phase II Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the recommended treatment for intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer guidelines. Prospective uncontrolled studies suggest that yttrium 90 (Y-90) transarterial radioembolization (TARE) is a safe and effective alternative. Purpose: To compare the efficacy and safety of TARE with TACE for unresectable HCC. Materials and Methods: In this single-center prospective randomized controlled trial (TRACE), Y-90 glass TARE was compared with doxorubicin drug-eluting bead (DEB) TACE in participants with intermediate-stage HCC, extended to Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 1 and those with early-stage HCC not eligible for surgery or thermoablation. Participants were recruited between September 2011 and March 2018. The primary end point was time to overall tumor progression (TTP) (Kaplan-Meier analysis) in the intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) groups. Results: At interim analysis, 38 participants (median age, 67 years; IQR, 63-72 years; 33 men) were randomized to the TARE arm and 34 (median age, 68 years; IQR, 61-71 years; 30 men) to the DEB-TACE arm (ITT group). Median TTP was 17.1 months in the TARE arm versus 9.5 months in the DEB-TACE arm (ITT group hazard ratio [HR], 0.36; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.70; P =.002) (PP group, 32 and 34 participants, respectively, in each arm; HR, 0.29; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.60; P<.001). Median overall survival was 30.2 months after TARE and 15.6 months after DEB-TACE (ITT group HR, 0.48; 95% CI: 0.28, 0.82; P =.006). Serious adverse events grade 3 or higher (13 of 33 participants [39%] vs 19 of 36 [53%] after TARE and DEB-TACE, respectively; P =.47) and 30-day mortality (0 of 33 participants [0%] vs three of 36 [8.3%]; P =.24) were similar in the safety groups. At the interim, the HR for the primary end point, TTP, was less than 0.39, meeting the criteria to halt the study. Conclusion: With similar safety profile, yttrium 90 radioembolization conferred superior tumor control and survival compared with chemoembolization using drug-eluting beads in selected participants with early or intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma. (C) RSNA, 2022

Automated summary

This study compared the efficacy and safety of Y-90 glass TARE and DEB-TACE for unresectable HCC. The results showed that TARE conferred superior tumor control and overall survival compared to DEB-TACE. Both treatments had similar safety profiles.