Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40647409›Full record

ReviewCancers2025

Efficacy of Transarterial Chemoembolization Combined with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Tzu-Rong Peng, Yi-Fang Weng, Ta-Wei Wu, Chao-Chuan Wu, Chia-Lu Hsu, Ching-Sheng Hsu

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cancers, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Observational
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Tzu-Rong PengDepartment of Pharmacy, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City 23142, Taiwan.ORCID 0000-0002-0754-5682
Yi-Fang WengDepartment of Pharmacy, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City 23142, Taiwan.
Ta-Wei WuDepartment of Pharmacy, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City 23142, Taiwan.
Chao-Chuan WuDepartment of Surgery, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City 23142, Taiwan.
Chia-Lu HsuCenter for Digestive Medicine, Department of Medical Research, Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taichung City 42743, Taiwan.
Ching-Sheng HsuCenter for Digestive Medicine, Department of Medical Research, Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taichung City 42743, Taiwan.ORCID 0000-0002-9342-0826

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTransarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the standard treatment for patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, its survival benefits remain unsatisfactory. In this systematic review, we aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) combined with TACE and TACE alone in patients with intermediate-stage HCC.

methodsA systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing TACE plus TKIs with TACE alone in patients with HCC were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. The primary outcomes included overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), reported as hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Secondary outcomes included the overall response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR), which were analyzed using risk ratios (RRs). Heterogeneity was assessed using the

resultsFourteen RCTs were included in this meta-analysis. Compared to TACE alone, TACE plus TKIs significantly improved PFS (HR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.59-0.93,

conclusionsCompared with TACE alone, TACE combined with TKIs can significantly improve PFS and the ORR in patients with intermediate-stage HCC. Furthermore, combination treatment can significantly improve OS in patients with HBV infection, but not in patients with HCV infection. Further research is required to optimize patient selection and treatment strategies.

Indexed as

hepatocellular carcinomameta-analysisoverall survivalprogression-free survivaltransarterial chemoembolizationtyrosine kinase inhibitors

Identifiers

PMID40647409
PMCPMC12248922

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.