The efficacy of cone-beam computed tomography-guided transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma survival: A systematic review.

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-guided transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) represents an alternative treatment option for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, yet a comprehensive evaluation of CBCT guidance on this procedure and CBCT's impact on patient survival remains lacking. We aimed to assess the efficacy and benefits of CBCT-guided TACE in improving survival outcomes for patients with HCC and show the importance of CBCT in interventional radiology. Meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate CBCT-guided TACE compared to conventional TACE in the treatment of HCC. PubMed and Cochrane library databases were searched for studies published. Outcomes of interest included 1- or 3-year local progression-free survival (LPFS) rates, overall survival (OS) rates, and tumor response results. A total of eight studies were included in the meta-analysis, comprising 1176 patients. The analysis showed that CBCT-guided TACE improved 1-year LPFS (odds ratio [OR] = 2.81, < 0.001), 3-year (OR = 4.42, = 0.002), and the 3-year OS rates (OR = 3.03, Confidence Interval = 1.65-11.80, = 0.14) compared to conventional TACE. CBCT-guided TACE enhances survival outcomes for patients with HCC; by addressing this research gap, our study endeavors to encourage clinicians and researchers to pursue this medical technology by providing a robust synthesis of current evidence.