Methods We searched databases including VIP, Wanfang, CNKI, CBM, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of science by means of coherent search of keywords and free words. The Meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan5.3 and Stata12.0 statistical software.
Results A total of 10 randomized controlled trials involving 710 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis indicated that the 6-month survival rate [OR = 1.98, 95%CI = (1.20, 3.25), P = 0.007], the 9-month survival rate [OR = 1.94, 95%CI = (1.05, 3.56) ), P = 0.03] and the 12-month survival rate [OR = 2.62, 95%CI = (1.83, 3.75), P < 0.000 01] in the sodium alginate microsphere group were significantly higher than those in the iodized oil group. The degree of tumor reduction after treatment [OR = -6.22, 95%CI (-6.83, -5.61), P < 0.000 01], and the degree of decrease in alpha-fetoprote in the sodium alginate microsphere group were significantly higher than those in the traditional iodized oil group [MD = -361.18, 95%CI (-576.26, -146.09), P = 0.001].The disease progression rate was significantly lower than that of the iodized oil group [OR = 0.28, 95%CI (0.15, 0.52), P < 0.000 1], while there were no significant differences between the two groups in the tumor complete remission rate [OR = 1.56, 95%CI (0.54, 4.51), P = 0.41] and partial remission rate [OR = 1.82, 95%CI (1.01, 3.29), P = 0.05]. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidence of fever [OR = 1.38, 95%CI = (0.82, 2.31), P = 0.22], nausea and vomiting [OR = 0.74, 95%CI = (0.46, 1.20), P = 0.22], and abdominal pain [OR = 1.28, 95%CI = (0.87, 1.87), P = 0.21]. Sensitivity analysis of the results was carried out by one-by-one elimination method, and no significant changes were found in the results, suggesting that the overall results of this meta-analysis were stable. The Begg's funnel plot did not indicate evidence of publication bias (P = 0.232 > 0.1).
Conclusions The current evidence shows that compared with traditional iodized oil transcatheter arterial chemoembolization, sodium alginate microsphere transcatheter arterial chemoembolization is a safe clinical treatment and can significantly improve the survival rate of patients with primary liver cancer.