Small particle drug-eluting beads-transarterial chemoembolization combined with targeted therapy in the clinical treatment of unresectable liver cancer

Table 1 Comparison of baseline data in the two groups

Characteristics		Control group, n = 36	Joint group, n = 38	χ2/t	P value
Sex	Male	19	21	0.046	0.830
	Female	17	17
Age in years	-	54.26 ± 6.18	53.99 ± 6.03	0.190	0.850
Number of tumors	1	12	15	0.820	0.664
	2	7	9
	≥ 3	17	14
Maximum tumor diameter in cm	-	8.13 ± 0.65	8.40 ± 0.72	1.690	0.095
HBV-DNA in IU/mL	≤ 100	20	15	1.918	0.166
	> 100	16	23
Child-Pugh grading[13]	A	28	24	1.891	0.169
	B	8	14	1.921	0.383
ECOG scores in points[14]	0	15	20
	1	16	11
	2	5	7
PVTT	Presence	9	12	0.394	0.530
	Absence	27	26

Data are n or mean ± SD. ECOG: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; PVTT: Portal vein tumor thrombus.

Table 2 Comparison of tumor response 1-month postoperatively between the two groups, n (%)

Efficacy	Control group, n = 36	Joint group, n = 38	χ2	P value
CR	9 (25.00)	19 (50.00)	4.912	0.027
PR	14 (38.89)	13 (34.21)	0.175	0.676
SD	5 (13.89)	4 (10.53)	0.196	0.658
PD	8 (22.22)	2 (5.26)	4.549	0.033
ORR	23 (63.89)	32 (81.58)	4.000	0.045
DCR	28 (77.78)	36 (94.74)	4.549	0.033

CR: Complete response; DCR: Disease control rate; ORR: Objective response rate; PD: Progression disease; PR: Partial response; SD: Stable disease.

Table 3 Comparison of liver function and tumor markers between the two groups before and after treatment

Indicator	Treatment period	Control group, n = 36	Joint group, n = 38	χ2/t	P value
ALT in U/L	Pre	39.41 ± 4.28	38.89 ± 4.55	0.506	0.615
	Post	45.12 ± 5.37	49.63 ± 5.18	3.677	0.001
AST in U/L	Pre	52.76 ± 8.33	53.02 ± 6.74	0.148	0.883
	Post	58.35 ± 6.92	65.71 ± 7.04	7.532	< 0.001
TBIL in μmol/L	Pre	20.01 ± 3.16	19.66 ± 2.25	0.551	0.583
	Post	25.41 ± 3.79	30.08 ± 4.11	5.073	< 0.001
ALB in g/L	Pre	37.85 ± 4.01	37.99 ± 3.32	0.164	0.870
	Post	32.66 ± 3.45	28.73 ± 2.99	5.245	< 0.001
AFP in μg/L	Pre	215.43 ± 20.77	218.96 ± 23.63	0.681	0.498
	Post	186.75 ± 15.46	114.65 ± 12.05	22.442	< 0.001

Data are mean ± standard deviation. AFP: Alpha fetoprotein; ALB: Albumin; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; TBIL: Total bilirubin.

Table 4 Comparison of adverse reaction occurrence between the two groups, n (%)

Adverse reaction	Control group, n = 36	Joint group, n = 38	χ2	P value
Embolism syndrome	0 (0)	2 (5.26)
Fatigue	1 (2.78)	1 (2.63)
Abnormal liver function	2 (5.56)	1 (2.63)
Rash	1 (2.78)	2 (5.26)
Bone marrow suppression	0 (0)	1 (2.63)
Gastrointestinal reaction	2 (5.56)	2 (5.26)
Hand-foot syndrome	1 (2.78)	2 (5.26)
Total incidence	7 (19.44)	11 (28.95)	0.907	0.341