What does the TACE procedure involve?

Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE) is a minimally invasive, image-guided procedure performed under local anesthesia. A catheter is inserted into the femoral artery and guided to the hepatic artery supplying the liver tumor. Through this catheter, a concentrated dose of chemotherapy drugs is delivered directly to the tumor, followed by injection of embolic agents (such as microspheres or gelatin sponge particles) to block the blood flow. This dual action starves the tumor of oxygen and nutrients while trapping the chemotherapy within the tumor site, maximizing local effect and minimizing systemic side effects.