摘要OBJECTIVE To study the effectiveness on the tumor load and cellular immune function of percutaneous cryoablation (argon-helium cryoablative system, AHCS) combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for treating large hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) with diameters over 10cm.METHODS A total of 48 HCC patients were treated with AHCS after TACE. Tumor sizes ranged from 10 to 14 cm. All cases were a hypervascular type. There were 38 Child A cases and 10 Child B cases. Forty were AFP positive and 8 negative. The patients were randomized with therapy group consisting of 26 cases and the control group 22 cases.The therapy group received AHCS 4 weeks following TACE treatment. Reexamination included pathology, tumor markers, T-lymphocyte subgroup levels and computed tomography or MRI. The necrosis rate of the tumor load was calculated by Cavalieri's theory. EORTC QLQ-C30 was used in quality of life evaluation.RESULTS The average tumor-load reduction rate (necrosis rate) was 8.07% after TACE, and 28.65% after AHCS. Coagulation necrosis was produced in the target area. The tumor markers deceased significantly after AHCS. Tumor-load reduction after AHCS was more significant than after TACE. Suppression of cellular immunity after TACE was significant.In contrast, CD3+, CD4+ and NK increased after AHCS and an abnormal T-lymphocyte distribution was corrected. Quality of life after AHCS increased according to the EORTC QLQ-C30 evaluation. No severe complications occurred.CONCLUSION Percutaneous AHCS cryoablation after TACE reduced the tumor load in the short term. At the same time, cellular immune function was increased after AHCS. TACE was critical in increasing the therapeutic efficacy of AHCS because of its embolisation of blood vessels preventing a Flow Effect. Reduction of the tumor load in the short term may conduce to increase cellular immunity. Percutaneous AHCS cryoablation combined with TACE can reduce the tumor load, improve cellular immunity and increase quality of life of HCC patients. This type of therapy deserves to be studied further research.