Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40940946›Full record

ArticleCancers2025

Proton Beam Therapy Provides Longer Survival and Preserves Muscle Mass in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Compared to TACE+RFA.

Takuto Nosaka, Ryotaro Sugata, Yosuke Murata, Yu Akazawa, Tomoko Tanaka, Kazuto Takahashi, Tatsushi Naito, Masahiro Ohtani, Kenji Takata, Tetsuya Tsujikawa and 4 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Cancers, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Takuto NosakaSecond Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.ORCID 0000-0002-1929-7305
Ryotaro SugataSecond Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
Yosuke MurataSecond Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
Yu AkazawaSecond Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
Tomoko TanakaSecond Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
Kazuto TakahashiSecond Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
Tatsushi NaitoSecond Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.ORCID 0000-0001-5472-8193
Masahiro OhtaniSecond Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
Kenji TakataDepartment of Radiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
Tetsuya TsujikawaDepartment of Radiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.ORCID 0000-0002-8980-1044
Yoshitaka SatoProton Therapy Center, Fukui Prefectural Hospital, Fukui 910-8526, Japan.ORCID 0000-0002-8143-2176
Yoshikazu MaedaProton Therapy Center, Fukui Prefectural Hospital, Fukui 910-8526, Japan.ORCID 0000-0002-3040-5549
Hiroyasu TamamuraProton Therapy Center, Fukui Prefectural Hospital, Fukui 910-8526, Japan.
Yasunari NakamotoSecond Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.ORCID 0000-0002-3160-3555

Funding

Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development JP25fk0210174Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development JP25fk0310529Japan Society for the Promotion of Science JP25K11170
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundProton beam therapy (PBT) provides excellent tumor control with minimal hepatic toxicity in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), by minimizing radiation exposure to non-cancerous liver tissue. Progressive skeletal muscle loss, often seen in cirrhosis and HCC, can negatively impact treatment outcomes and survival. This study compared the efficacy and safety of PBT with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with unresectable HCC.

methodsA total of 91 patients (PBT/TACE+RFA,

resultsPBT resulted in longer overall survival (OS) and fewer hepatic and systemic adverse events compared to TACE+RFA, with no grade 3 or higher toxicities observed in the PBT group. Importantly, psoas muscle size remained stable after PBT, even in patients with tumors ≥ 3 cm, whereas TACE+RFA led to significant muscle loss regardless of tumor size, which was associated with poorer prognosis. These findings suggest that, for patients with unresectable HCC not adequately controlled by RFA alone, PBT may improve OS and help preserve muscle mass, while offering lower toxicity and more favorable clinical outcomes than TACE+RFA.

conclusionsOverall, PBT may represent an effective strategy for managing unresectable HCC.

Indexed as

hepatocellular carcinomaproton beam therapypsoas muscleradiofrequency ablationtranscatheter arterial chemoembolization

Identifiers

PMID40940946
PMCPMC12427364

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.