Structured Abstract

Contents

• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Key Informants
• Technical Expert Panel
• Peer Reviewers
• Executive Summary
• Introduction
  • Background
  • Scope and Key Questions
  • Organization of This Report
  • Uses of This Report
• Methods
  • Topic Refinement and Review Protocol
  • Literature Search Strategy
  • Risk of Bias Assessment of Individual Studies
  • Data Synthesis
  • Strength of the Body of Evidence
  • Applicability
  • Peer Review and Public Commentary
• Results
  • Introduction
  • Results of Literature Search
  • Description of Included Studies
  • Key Questions 1 and 2 Effectiveness and Harms of Local Hepatic Therapy
  • Ablative Therapies
  • Embolization Therapies
  • Radiation Therapies
  • Combination Therapies
  • Key Question 3 Comparative Effectiveness by Patient Subgroups
  • Overall Conclusions for Key Questions 1–3
• Discussion
  • Key Findings and Strength of Evidence
  • Implications for Clinical and Policy Decisionmaking
  • Limitations of the Comparative Effectiveness Review Process
  • Limitations of the Evidence Base
  • Research Gaps
  • Conclusions
• References
• Appendix A Search Strategy
• Appendix B Contacted Authors
• Appendix C DistillerSR Screening and Abstraction Forms
• Appendix D Evidence Tables
• Appendix E Abbreviations and Acronyms
• Appendix F Excluded Studies

Prepared for: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services¹, Contract No. 290-2007-10058-I. Prepared by: Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Technology Evaluation Center, Evidence-based Practice Center, Chicago, IL

Suggested citation:

Belinson S, Yang Y, Chopra R, Shankaran V, Samson D, Aronson N. Local Therapies for Unresectable Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 114. (Prepared by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Technology Evaluation Center Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-2007-10058-I.) AHRQ Publication No. 13-EHC069-EF. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. May 2013. www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/reports/final.cfm.

This report is based on research conducted by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Technology Evaluation Center Evidence-based Practice Center under contract to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, MD (Contract No. 290-2007-10058-I). The findings and conclusions in this document are those of the authors, who are responsible for its contents; the findings and conclusions do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. Therefore, no statement in this report should be construed as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The information in this report is intended to help health care decisionmakers—patients and clinicians, health system leaders, and policymakers, among others—make well-informed decisions and thereby improve the quality of health care services. This report is not intended to be a substitute for the application of clinical judgment. Anyone who makes decisions concerning the provision of clinical care should consider this report in the same way as any medical reference and in conjunction with all other pertinent information, i.e., in the context of available resources and circumstances presented by individual patients.

This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or as a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.

None of the investigators have any affiliations or financial involvement that conflicts with the material presented in this report.

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