The abstract is read at the publisher; the summary is JClub's.
Transarterial radioembolization monotherapy is the only hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) macrovascular invasion option with consistently low heterogeneity, yielding pooled 1-year overall survival of 34% (95% CI 20%–48%).
- Why it matters: Macrovascular invasion usually signals advanced-stage HCC where systemic therapy is standard, but some guidance supports surgery or locoregional treatment; comparability across studies has been limited.
- What they did: A PRISMA-guided systematic review and meta-analysis (PubMed, Jan 2008–Nov 2024) included 73 studies (104 treatment arms; 10,329 patients) that reported overall survival with baseline performance status and liver function.
- The result: Most modalities remained highly heterogeneous (I2 >80%), preventing robust pooling; sequential strategies appeared advantaged but likely reflect confounding by indication and immortal-time bias, with missing OS rising to 70.2% by 5 years.
The findingWhy it mattersWhat they didThe result
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