Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
How long does recovery from TACE take? | CION Cancer Clinics
Most people stay in hospital for one or two nights after TACE and go home once pain, fever and sickness are under control. Most feel close to normal within one to two weeks, though tiredness can last a little longer. This page explains what to expect day by day, why recovery differs between people, how to help it at home and which signs mean you should go to hospital the same day. At CION Cancer Clinics, a multidisciplinary tumour board weighs your liver function and your scans before recommending any treatment.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed October 2026, next review due October 2027
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On this page
- How long will I be in hospital after TACE, and when will I feel normal?
- What does recovery look like from the ward to the next scan?
- Why do some people recover from TACE faster than others?
- What can I do to help my recovery after TACE?
- What do families often get wrong about recovery after TACE?
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about recovery after TACE
The short answer
How long will I be in hospital after TACE, and when will I feel normal?
Most people stay in hospital for one or two nights after TACE and go home once the pain, fever and sickness are controlled with tablets. Most feel close to their usual selves within one to two weeks, though tiredness can hang on a little longer.
Why the first few days feel rough
TACE (transarterial chemoembolisation) blocks the blood supply to a liver tumour and leaves chemotherapy inside it. As the tumour tissue starts to die, the body reacts with pain under the right ribs, a raised temperature, nausea and a heavy tiredness. This reaction is called post-embolisation syndrome. It is expected, and it usually means the treatment has reached its target. Our page on post-embolisation syndrome explains it in detail.
Who this page is about
This page is about TACE for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the cancer that starts in the liver itself, usually in a liver that already has cirrhosis (long-term scarring). If the cancer spread to your liver from the bowel or elsewhere, recovery is similar, but the bigger picture is different. Read TACE for liver metastases instead.
Recovery depends far more on how well your liver was working before TACE than on the procedure itself.Day by day
What does recovery look like from the ward to the next scan?
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The first few hours
You lie flat with the leg or wrist used for the catheter kept still, so the small puncture in the artery can seal. Nurses check the puncture site, your pulse and your blood pressure often.
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The first night and next morning
Pain, fever and nausea usually peak now. You are given pain relief, anti-sickness medicine and fluids through a drip. Blood tests check how your liver and kidneys have coped.
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Going home
You are discharged once you can eat, walk and manage the pain with tablets. Someone should travel with you. A long bus journey back to a district is easier with a day's rest in Hyderabad first.
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The first week at home
A low fever, a poor appetite and tiredness are common. Light walking helps. Avoid lifting anything heavy until your team says the puncture site has healed.
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The follow-up scan
A CT or MRI scan, usually a few weeks later, shows how the tumour responded and whether another session is needed. See how response to TACE is measured.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistWhy it differs
Why do some people recover from TACE faster than others?
Two people can have the same procedure on the same day and have very different weeks afterwards. These are the main reasons.
How well the liver was working
A liver with mild cirrhosis (Child-Pugh A, the best-working group) bounces back more quickly. A liver that was already struggling has less in reserve, so jaundice or fluid can appear for a while after treatment.
How much liver was treated
Treating one small tumour through a narrow branch artery is gentler than treating a large area or a whole lobe. A larger treated area often means more pain and fever.
Your general fitness
People who were walking about and eating well before TACE usually recover sooner. Diabetes, kidney problems and heart disease can slow things down.
Whether it is a first or repeat session
Some people find later sessions easier because they know what to expect. Others find each one a little harder on the liver. Your team checks your blood tests before every session.
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Go to hospital today if any of these happen
High fever with shivering, especially after the first few days. New or deepening yellow eyes or skin. Confusion, unusual drowsiness or strange behaviour. Vomiting blood or passing black stools. Severe pain that tablets do not touch, or a swollen, tight belly. Bleeding or a growing lump at the puncture site. Go to the hospital where TACE was done, or the nearest emergency department, and tell them you had TACE.
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At home
What can I do to help my recovery after TACE?
Take the pain relief as prescribed
Use the medicines on your discharge sheet and nothing extra. Some common painkillers are not safe with cirrhosis, so ask before buying anything from a pharmacy.
Eat, even when you do not feel like it
Small, frequent meals are easier. Do not cut protein. Families often reduce dal, eggs or curd to protect the liver, yet a recovering liver needs protein to repair itself.
Drink enough and rest
Keep drinking water unless you have been told to limit fluids. Rest when tired, and take short walks each day to keep your strength up.
Stop herbal tonics and alcohol
Liver tonics and alcohol add strain at exactly the wrong time. If you already take something, tell your oncologist. Nobody will judge you.
Commonly believed
What do families often get wrong about recovery after TACE?
"A fever after TACE means an infection."
A low fever in the first days is usually the tumour breaking down. A high fever with shivering, or a fever that starts later, can be an infection and needs a doctor the same day.
"More pain means the treatment did not work."
Pain reflects how much tissue was treated. It says nothing about whether the treatment worked. Only the follow-up scan can show the response.
"The patient should stay in bed until fully healed."
Long bed rest weakens muscles and slows recovery. Gentle walking from the day after discharge is usually encouraged, with no heavy lifting until your team says so.
"If they feel well, the follow-up scan can wait."
Feeling well says nothing about the tumour. The scan decides whether another session or a different treatment is needed, so keep the appointment.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you how your own recovery will go. That depends on your liver function, the size and number of tumours treated and your health before the procedure. The doctor who planned your TACE can give you a realistic picture before you agree to it.
Who this does not apply to
Recovery after TARE (Y-90), ablation or liver surgery is different. If you had one of those, read recovery after Y-90 or ask your team. If your liver was already badly scarred before treatment, your recovery may be slower and needs closer watching than this page describes.
How CION fits in
CION's tumour board reviews your scans and decides with you whether TACE is right. CION coordinates TACE through NABH-accredited partner hospitals with interventional radiology teams, and your team will tell you where it takes place. Follow-up visits, blood tests and planning the next step continue with your CION oncologist.
If you are unsure whether something you are feeling is normal, call the helpline and describe it.Questions we are asked
Common questions about recovery after TACE
How many nights will I stay in hospital after TACE?
Most people stay one or two nights. Some go home the next day, and a few stay longer if pain, fever or blood tests need more watching. Your team will tell you what to expect for your own procedure, so you can plan travel and who stays with you.
When can I go back to work?
Many people with desk jobs return within one to two weeks. Heavy physical work usually needs longer, because the puncture site must heal and tiredness can linger. Ask your doctor for a note if your employer needs one, and plan for the next session if more than one is expected.
How long does the tiredness last?
Tiredness is often the last thing to settle. For most people it eases over a couple of weeks. If it is getting worse rather than better, or comes with yellow eyes, confusion or a swelling belly, tell your team the same day.
Is it normal to have a fever at home?
A low fever in the first few days is common and is part of post-embolisation syndrome. A high fever with shivering, or a fever that appears after you had started to feel better, can mean an infection or an abscess in the liver. Go to hospital that day.
Can I travel back to my village straight after discharge?
Many people do, with someone travelling with them. If the journey is long, resting a night in Hyderabad first is easier. Before you leave, know which nearby hospital you would go to in an emergency and carry your discharge summary.
What should I eat after TACE?
Normal home food in small, frequent portions, with enough protein from dal, eggs, curd, fish or chicken. Avoid alcohol. Limit salt only if you have been told you have fluid in the belly. If appetite stays poor, ask for a dietitian.
When will I know if TACE worked?
Not from how you feel. A CT or MRI scan, usually a few weeks after the procedure, shows how much of the tumour has died. Your oncologist will explain the result and whether another session or a different treatment makes sense.
Will the next TACE session be easier?
It varies. Some people find later sessions easier because they know what to expect. Others find each one harder on the liver. Your team checks liver blood tests before each session and will not go ahead if the liver needs more time. Read about the gap between sessions.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's liver cancer specialists. Bring your scan reports and liver blood tests.
Our medical and surgical oncologists plan liver cancer care together, weighing the tumour and how well your liver works before choosing surgery, a liver-directed procedure or medicines.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
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Sources
- RadiologyInfo.org (RSNA/ACR) — TACE Cancerous Tumor Therapy
- American Cancer Society — Embolization Therapy for Liver Cancer
- Cancer Research UK — Treatment for liver cancer
- NIDDK — Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Cirrhosis - NIDDK
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
Post-embolisation syndrome: pain, fever and nauseaWhy the first few days feel the way they doSide effects and risks of TACEThe common effects and the rarer ones to watch forHow response to TACE is measuredWhat the follow-up scan is looking forWhat happens during TACEThe procedure itself, step by step
Talk to us
Not sure whether what you are feeling after TACE is normal?
Tell us how you or your family member is feeling and when the procedure was done, and we will help you decide what to do next. One helpline serves every CION centre.