Current status of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) agents in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment

Primary liver cancer is among the most common fatal solid cancers, ranking as the fourth most frequent cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent histological type of primary liver cancers, which accounts for up to 90% of cases and is resistant to a large percentage of currently available anti-cancer drugs. Amongst various therapeutic options, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is an efficient option in patients with the intermediate stage of HCC. Commercially, different embolients enable clinicians to perform TACE. Embolic materials include gelatin sponge, degradable starch microspheres (DSMs) and calibrated microspheres. This article reviews commercially available materials used in the TACE procedure and evaluates their pros and cons in this regard.