摘要
Until recently,transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)was the only standard treatment for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)according to the worldwide guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC(1,2).However,TACE is not always effective in providing a survival benefit because of the extreme heterogeneity of intermediate-stage HCC regarding tumor size and number,and liver function(Child-Pugh A5-B9).