# Meta-analysis of 31 studies links triple therapy with TACE to longer survival in unresectable liver cancer

- Published: 2026-11-12 03:41 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Medicine
- Tags: unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, triple therapy, transarterial chemoembolization, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, anti-VEGF, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, progression-free survival, overall survival, meta-analysis, Frontiers in Oncology
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-e484a12e6674720e0859505a_meta_analysis_of/

**A pooled analysis of over 8,900 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma found longer progression-free and overall survival with TACE plus anti-VEGF/TKIs and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors.**

![Meta-analysis of 31 studies links triple therapy with TACE to longer survival in unresectable liver cancer](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/4250f631e474ba6e.jpg)
*Senior Airman Cierra Presentado, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain*

A research group from Zhejiang Chinese Medical University and Ningbo Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in China published a meta-analysis in Frontiers in Oncology on 11 November 2026 (doi.org). The work covers 31 studies with over 8,900 patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC). It compared transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with anti-VEGF/tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors against other regimens [1].

## Pooled survival results

The authors searched the Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed and Web of Science through August 2026 and pooled hazard ratios (HR) with random-effects models. The protocol is registered in PROSPERO under CRD420251153584. The outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) [1].

In the triple therapy group, PFS was significantly improved compared with controls: HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.43–0.55, p<0.001. For OS the HR was 0.45, 95% CI 0.39–0.53, p<0.001 [1].

## Subgroups and context

Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested a possible survival advantage of the triple regimen in several groups. These were younger patients (under 50–65 years), patients with an ECOG performance status of 0, and patients with hepatitis B virus infection. They also included patients without portal vein tumor thrombus, extrahepatic metastasis or vascular invasion, and patients with up-to-seven criteria above 7, especially with a largest tumor size above 10 cm [1].

The authors note that, globally, the annual number of new liver cancer cases is projected to rise by 55% between 2020 and 2040, to an estimated 1.4 million diagnoses. Over 80% of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are diagnosed at advanced stages and cannot receive curative treatment [1].

The paper recalls the Phase III IMbrave150 trial. In it, atezolizumab plus bevacizumab raised median overall survival in uHCC from 13.4 to 19.2 months compared with sorafenib alone. Still, some patients do not respond to triple therapy, and a 2025 meta-analysis reported unsatisfactory overall efficacy. The present analysis was designed to examine the effect of triple therapy and the factors that influence it [1].

## Sources

1. [doi.org](https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2026.1965453)
2. [bioengineer.org](https://bioengineer.org/triple-therapy-improves-survival-in-unresectable-hepatocellular-carcinoma-across-major-subgroups)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-e484a12e6674720e0859505a_meta_analysis_of/