A Gene-Based Prognostic for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patient Response to Adjuvant Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide with largely unfavorable outcomes due to a lack of effective treatment options for patients in the later state of disease. The gold standard of care for HCC patients with intermediate to locally advanced tumors is transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), a procedure whereby the tumor is targeted both with local chemotherapy and restriction of local blood supply. TACE procedures are often not effective however, and a need exists to identify patients that will respond to TACE.

NCI scientists have identified a 14-gene signature predictive of response to TACE. This “TACE Navigator Gene Signature Assay” based on a Nanostring platform, is useful in identifying HCC patients in advance who will respond to and have the greatest survival benefit following TACE, and can identify patients who need additional/alternative therapeutic modalities.