BackTable Vascular & Interventional Ep. 538 Immunotherapy and TACE in HCC Treatment with Dr. Julius Chapiro and Dr. Richard Finn
Apr 29, 2025
Dr. Richard Finn, a medical oncologist at UCLA with expertise in liver cancer clinical trials, and Dr. Julius Chapiro, an interventional radiologist at Yale, delve into groundbreaking treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma. They discuss the synergy between transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and immunotherapy, revealing how recent studies shift treatment paradigms. The duo emphasizes the need for a multidisciplinary approach, highlights advancements in biopsy techniques, and the importance of robust data in guiding treatment decisions.
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Unique Challenges of HCC Staging
- HCC is unique because tumors develop in already sick livers, making liver function key to treatment decisions.
- Traditional staging (like TNM) fails because it ignores underlying liver disease impacting outcomes.
Non-Invasive Diagnosis Limits Tissue
- Liver cancer diagnosis is mostly non-invasive using advanced imaging, which means limited tumor tissue for study.
- Lack of biopsies has delayed understanding of HCC biology and biomarker development crucial for therapy.
Use Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards
- Always integrate patients into a multidisciplinary tumor board to optimize care.
- Collaboration between hepatology, oncology, surgery, and interventional radiology is crucial for best outcomes in HCC.