Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Side effects and risks of TACE for liver cancer | CION Cancer Clinics
Most people have pain under the right ribs, fever, nausea and tiredness for a few days after TACE, and these settle on their own. Serious problems are uncommon. The one that matters most is a further fall in liver function in someone whose liver was already weak. This page explains the expected effects, the rarer risks, who TACE does not suit and the signs that need a 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
- What side effects should I expect from TACE?
- Which side effects happen to most people after TACE?
- What are the serious risks of TACE?
- Who is more likely to have problems after TACE, and who does it not suit?
- What do families often believe about TACE side effects?
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about TACE side effects and risks
The short answer
What side effects should I expect from TACE?
Most people have pain under the right ribs, a fever, nausea and tiredness for a few days after TACE, and these settle on their own. Serious problems are uncommon, and the one that matters most is a further fall in liver function in someone whose liver was already weak.
Why TACE causes side effects at all
TACE (transarterial chemoembolisation) sends chemotherapy and tiny blocking particles down the artery feeding a liver tumour. The tumour loses its blood supply and starts to die. The body reacts to that dying tissue, and some healthy liver nearby is affected too. Because the chemotherapy stays mostly inside the liver, whole-body effects such as hair loss are much milder than with chemotherapy given into a vein.
Who this page is about
This page is about TACE for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the cancer that starts in the liver, often in a liver with cirrhosis (long-term scarring). If the cancer spread to the liver from the bowel or elsewhere, read TACE for liver metastases. For how the procedure itself is done, see TACE explained.
Most side effects after TACE are expected and short-lived. A few need a hospital the same day, and this page lists them.Common and expected
Which side effects happen to most people after TACE?
Together these are called post-embolisation syndrome. They usually peak in the first day or two and fade over the following week.
Pain in the upper right belly
A dull or cramping ache under the ribs, sometimes felt in the right shoulder. It is treated with pain relief on the ward and tablets at home.
Fever
A low fever is common in the first few days as the tumour breaks down. It does not usually mean infection, though a high fever with shivering might.
Nausea and poor appetite
Feeling sick and not wanting to eat are common. Anti-sickness medicine helps, and small, frequent meals are easier than large ones.
Tiredness
Often the last thing to settle. Gentle walking helps more than long bed rest. Read more on post-embolisation syndrome and recovery after TACE.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistLess common, more serious
What are the serious risks of TACE?
The risk
What it means for you
Worsening liver function
Jaundice, fluid in the belly or confusion. More likely if the liver was weak beforehand
Liver abscess
A pocket of infection in the treated area. More likely after earlier bile duct surgery or a stent
Gallbladder or bile duct injury
Particles reaching the gallbladder or bile ducts can cause pain and inflammation
Particles reaching the stomach
Rarely, this causes an ulcer and upper belly pain or bleeding
Kidney strain or dye reaction
The X-ray dye can strain weak kidneys or, rarely, cause an allergic reaction
Puncture-site problems
Bruising is common. A growing lump or bleeding needs attention
!
Go to hospital today if any of these happen after TACE
High fever with shivering, or a fever that starts after you had begun to feel better. New or deepening yellow eyes or skin. Confusion, unusual sleepiness or odd behaviour. Vomiting blood or passing black stools. Severe pain that tablets do not control, or a rapidly swelling belly. Very little urine. 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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Lowering the risk
Who is more likely to have problems after TACE, and who does it not suit?
The biggest risk factor is how well the liver works before treatment. People with Child-Pugh A liver function (the best-working group) usually cope well. People whose liver is already failing, with deep jaundice, fluid that keeps coming back or episodes of confusion, are much more likely to be harmed than helped.
Who TACE does not suit
TACE is usually not offered when the liver is badly failing, when the main portal vein (the large vein bringing blood into the liver) is blocked by tumour, when the cancer has spread widely outside the liver, or when the kidneys cannot cope with the dye. Read when TACE is not safe for the full picture.
How the team keeps the risk down
Before each session your team checks liver and kidney blood tests and reviews the latest scan. Treating only the branch of artery feeding the tumour spares healthy liver. Spacing sessions gives the liver time to recover. CION's tumour board reviews these questions, and CION coordinates TACE through NABH-accredited partner hospitals. Your team will tell you where it takes place.
Commonly believed
What do families often believe about TACE side effects?
"TACE is chemotherapy, so hair will fall out."
The chemotherapy stays mostly inside the liver, so noticeable hair loss is uncommon. Some people notice mild thinning, and that usually grows back.
"Bad pain afterwards means something has gone wrong."
Pain is expected and reflects the treated tumour dying. It becomes a warning sign only if it is severe, keeps getting worse or comes with a high fever or yellow eyes.
"If the first TACE was fine, the next one will be too."
Each session puts some strain on the liver. That is why blood tests are repeated before every session, and why your team may decide to pause or change treatment.
"Liver tonics will protect the liver during TACE."
Herbal products can themselves injure the liver, and a scarred liver is the most vulnerable to that. Tell your oncologist what you take. Nobody will judge you.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you your own level of risk. That depends on your liver blood tests, the size and position of the tumour, your kidneys and your overall health. The doctor recommending TACE should explain the risks for you, in plain words, before you sign the consent form.
Questions worth asking
Ask how well your liver is working now, how much of it will be treated, what the team will watch for afterwards and what you should do if a warning sign appears at night or far from Hyderabad. Our list of questions before your first TACE can help.
Who this does not apply to
Side effects of TARE (Y-90), ablation, surgery or tablet treatment are different. If you are having one of those, ask your team or read the page for that treatment.
If you are unsure whether a symptom is expected, call the helpline and describe it.Questions we are asked
Common questions about TACE side effects and risks
Is TACE a risky procedure?
For most people with reasonable liver function it is a well-established and fairly safe treatment. Expected side effects are common but pass. Serious problems are uncommon and are more likely when the liver is already weak, which is why your team checks liver function carefully before agreeing to it.
How long do the side effects last?
Pain, fever and nausea usually peak in the first day or two and ease over about a week. Tiredness can take a little longer. Anything that is getting worse instead of better should be reported to your team the same day.
Can TACE damage the healthy liver?
Some healthy liver near the tumour is affected, and liver blood tests often worsen briefly. In most people they recover. In a liver that was already struggling, the damage can last, which is why TACE is not offered to everyone. Read liver failure after TACE.
Will I lose my hair after TACE?
Usually not. The chemotherapy stays mostly in the liver, so whole-body effects are much milder than with chemotherapy given through a vein. Some people notice mild thinning. If hair loss worries you, ask your team which drug is being used.
Is the fever after TACE dangerous?
A low fever in the first few days is normal and comes from the tumour breaking down. A high fever with shivering, or a fever that begins after you had started to feel better, may mean a liver abscess or another infection. Go to hospital that day.
Does the risk go up with each session?
It can. Each session adds some strain to the liver, and the benefit can fall if the tumour stops responding. Your team weighs this before every session. See when TACE stops working.
I have diabetes and kidney problems. Can I still have TACE?
Often yes, with extra care. The X-ray dye can strain weak kidneys, so your team checks kidney blood tests, may give fluids through a drip and may adjust some diabetes medicines around the procedure. Tell them about every medicine you take.
Who should I call if something feels wrong at home?
For any warning sign on this page, go to the hospital where TACE was done or the nearest emergency department the same day. For smaller worries, call the CION helpline, and someone will help you decide whether it can wait.
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
- EASL — EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines: management of hepatocellular carcinoma
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
Liver failure after TACE: the risk that mattersThe most important risk, explained properlyWhen TACE is not safeWho should not have TACE, and whyHow long does recovery from TACE take?What the days and weeks afterwards look likePost-embolisation syndrome after TACEThe common pain, fever and nausea in detail
Talk to us
Worried about whether TACE is safe for your liver?
Share the latest scan and liver blood tests, and our tumour board can review whether TACE suits you and what the risks are. One helpline serves every CION centre.