PURPOSE: To compare the survival rates of patients with hepatoma using different methods of transcatheter arterial chemoemblization(THAE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four hundred and eighty three patients with hepatoma diagnosed by biopsy, serum alpha-fetoprotein, abdominal CT scan, abdominal ultrasonography or hepatic angiography were included, but not all had reccived surgical treatment. They were divided into two groups according to Child's classification and into subgroups according to different methods of THAE. Five-year survival rates among these groups were retrospectively Compared. The patients were aged between 24 and 85(mean, 58) ; male to female ratio was 324:61 for those who received THAE (396:87 when only hepatic angiography was considered). RESULTS: In the group with more than a single episode of chemoembolization, regardless of Child's classification, a better survival rate compared to the other groups with or without concommitant radiotherapy or without chemoembolization was noted. There was no difference in the survival rate of patients with multiple chemoembolization. Moreover, no difference in this rate was observed no matter what chemotherapeutic agents, including Adriamycin, Cis-Diaminedichloroplatinum or 1-131-Lipiodol, were used. Embolization by gelfoam in conjuction with Adriamycin resulted in no difference in survival rate regardless of requency of chemoembolization. CONCLUSIONS: An improved survival rate was seen when multiple episodes of chemoembolization were applied, but no difference was seen when there was concomitant application of either gelfoam or radiotherapy. Two different chemotherapeutic agents,Adriamycin and Cis-Diaminedichloroplatinum, were used, but there was no difference between them in their effect on survival rates.