Minireviews
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Oncol. Apr 24, 2025; 16(4): 104435
Published online Apr 24, 2025. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v16.i4.104435
Current status and recent progress of nanomaterials in transcatheter arterial chemoembolization therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma
Jia Sun, Hai-Liang Li, Wen-Jun Zhou, Zeng-Xin Ma, Xiao-Pei Huang, Cheng Li
Jia Sun, Hai-Liang Li, Wen-Jun Zhou, Zeng-Xin Ma, Xiao-Pei Huang, Cheng Li, Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Hernia Surgery, The Affiliated Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510317, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: Sun J contributed to conceptualization; Li HL contributed to literature review and supervision; Sun J and Ma ZX wrote the original draft; Sun J, Li HL, Zhou WJ, and Huang XP reviewed and edited the manuscript; Li C contributed to supervision and guidance.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Cheng Li, Professor, Department of Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Hernia Surgery, The Affiliated Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital of Jinan University, No. 466 Middle Xingang Road, Guangzhou 510317, Guangdong Province, China. 182838li@163.com
Received: December 23, 2024
Revised: February 6, 2025
Accepted: March 5, 2025
Published online: April 24, 2025
Processing time: 95 Days and 21.2 Hours
Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains one of the most common cancers worldwide. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization has become a common treatment modality for some patients with unresectable advanced HCC. Since the introduction of nanomaterials in 1974, their use in various fields has evolved rapidly. In medical applications, nanomaterials can serve as carriers for the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs to tumour tissues. Additionally, nanomaterials have potential for in vivo tumour imaging. This article covers the properties and uses of several kinds of nanomaterials, focusing on their use in transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for HCC treatment. This paper also discusses the limitations currently associated with the use of nanomaterials.

Keywords: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Nanomaterials; Drug delivery system; Chemotherapy

Core Tip: This article comprehensively discusses the potential of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with various nanomaterials in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. By summarizing the characteristics and applications of liposomes, micellar nanoparticles, hydrogels, metallic nanoparticles, and metal-organic frameworks, it highlights the enhanced therapeutic efficacy and precision offered by nanotechnology. The review also explores the advancements in imaging techniques and the challenges and limitations of integrating nanomaterials into clinical practice. Ultimately, the manuscript provides insights into the promising future of nanomaterial-based transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment, with potential for significant clinical impact.