Home›Oncology› Expert consensus guideline on TACE for unresectable HCC in Vietnam
Expert consensus guideline on TACE for unresectable HCC in VietnamVietnam Unveils New Rules for Liver Cancer Treatment
Frontiers in MedicinePublished April 23, 2026Study authors: Vu Dang Luu, Do Dang Tan, Pham Minh Thong, Le Van Khang, Le Thanh Dung, Le Trong Binh, Nguyen Ngoc T…DOI ↗Editorial oversight: Dr. Julia Lee, PhD · Oncology, Genomics & Drug Development
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Key Takeaway
Consider this expert consensus to enhance TACE consistency for unresectable HCC in Vietnam.
This document serves as an expert consensus guideline rather than a primary trial or systematic review. It focuses specifically on the management of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Vietnam. The scope is limited to providing recommendations to improve the consistency of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) practices in this region.
The authors do not report specific sample sizes, primary outcomes, or secondary outcomes. Consequently, no pooled effect sizes, p-values, or confidence intervals are available to quantify the clinical impact of these recommendations. The guideline does not detail specific adverse events, tolerability profiles, or discontinuation rates for the intervention.
The primary practice relevance identified is the potential to enhance the efficacy and consistency of TACE for HCC management in Vietnam. However, because this is a consensus statement without reported quantitative data or a defined comparator, the strength of these recommendations relies on expert opinion rather than empirical evidence from this specific source.
Clinicians should note that this guideline addresses a specific geographic and clinical context. The lack of reported safety data or statistical outcomes limits the ability to generalize findings or assess risk-benefit ratios based solely on this text.
Why consistency changes everything
Doctors used a method called TACE. It sends medicine directly to the tumor. But everyone did it differently.
Some doctors used more chemo. Others used less. This made results hard to compare. Patients got different care based on location.
The surprising shift
Now, experts have agreed on one plan. They met to discuss the best steps. They want every patient to get the same high care.
This is not just about rules. It is about saving lives. When doctors follow the same path, outcomes get better.
Think of a tumor like a fire. It needs blood to grow. TACE cuts off that blood supply. It also brings strong medicine right to the fire.
The medicine kills the cancer cells. The blockage stops new blood from feeding them. This starves the tumor until it shrinks.
What the experts decided
The study looked at how to pick patients. It covered which tools to use. It even planned for follow-up checks.
This doesn’t mean this treatment is available yet.
The workshops happened in three cities. They involved doctors from major hospitals. They voted on the best practices.
They reviewed old science and new data. They wanted to match Vietnam with global standards. This ensures local needs are met.
Experts say this helps doctors feel more confident. It reduces mistakes in the process. It brings order to a complex situation.
You should talk to your doctor. Ask if this new plan fits your case. It is not a magic fix.
This is a set of rules, not a new drug. It takes time for hospitals to learn. Some clinics may not have the tools yet.
Hospitals will train staff on these new steps. We will see better results over time. Approval takes time to reach every patient.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a major public health challenge in Vietnam and, according to GLOBOCAN 2022, accounted for 24,502 new cases in 2022, making it the second most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), introduced in 1977, is a pivotal treatment for unresectable HCC, delivering chemotherapeutic agents and embolic materials to induce tumor necrosis through cytotoxicity and ischemia. TACE is versatile and, in selected early-stage HCC (BCLC 0-A) treated with a highly selective approach, may achieve complete response; in intermediate-stage disease (BCLC B), it can prolong survival and enable downstaging, and in advanced-stage disease (BCLC C), it may complement systemic therapy. Despite its global use, TACE practices vary, and Vietnam lacks standardized guidelines tailored to its unique clinical landscape. The Vietnamese Society of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine and The Vietnamese Society of Interventional Radiology conducted three workshops in Da Nang, An Giang, and Can Tho between August and December 2024. These workshops engaged interventional radiologists from major hospitals and regional centers to develop consensus-based TACE recommendations. Through literature reviews, discussions, and physician voting, the recommendations cover pre-TACE diagnostic imaging, patient selection criteria, TACE techniques, choice of embolic materials and chemotherapeutic agents, intra- and post-procedure monitoring, and integration with combination therapies. This initiative aligns international standards with local needs, aiming to enhance the efficacy and consistency of TACE for HCC management in Vietnam.
