Comparison of the efficacy and safety of Transarterial chemoembolization with and without Apatinib for the treatment of BCLC stage C hepatocellular carcinoma

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cancer worldwide, with a poor prognosis. Most patients are diagnosed at advanced stages and are only eligible for palliative therapy. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with apatinib (TACE-apatinib) treatment and TACE-alone treatment for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C HCC.