Transarterial chemoembolization in a patient with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma and portal vein thrombosis: a case report and review of the literature.

Primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for more than 5% of all cancers in the world, and causes between 250,000 and one million deaths globally each year. The incidence of portal vein thrombosis in HCC patients is around 8%. These patients are regarded as unsuitable for chemoembolization, especially if there is portal vein occlusion. The authors describe a patient with HCC and partial portal vein thrombosis who successfully underwent transarterial chemoembolization.