Tumor cells within hepatic arterial territory

Tumor cells within the hepatic arterial territory represent a clinical and anatomical target for the treatment of primary and secondary liver malignancies. Unlike healthy liver parenchyma, which receives approximately 75% of its blood supply from the portal vein, hypervascular tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) derive nearly 90% of their blood supply from the hepatic artery (StatPearls, 2023). This physiological disparity allows for the selective delivery of therapeutic agents—including chemotherapy, radioactive isotopes, or embolic materials—directly to the tumor site via the arterial circulation (National Cancer Institute, 2022). Common procedures utilizing this target include transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), transarterial radioembolization (TARE), and hepatic arterial infusion (HAI). By targeting this specific territory, clinicians can achieve high local drug concentrations while reducing systemic side effects and sparing the functional liver tissue (Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, 2021). However, this is considered an anatomical or cellular target rather than a molecular one, as it encompasses a heterogeneous population of malignant cells defined by their vascular source.

Other names

Hypervascular liver tumorsHepatic arterial tumorsArterially-perfused liver metastasesHepatic arterial territory malignancies

Selective delivery of cytotoxic, embolic, or radioactive agents via the hepatic artery to induce ischemia and localized cell death in hypervascular tumors while sparing healthy liver tissue (StatPearls, 2023).