OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of transcatheter therapies combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment on hepatocellular necrosis, apoptosis, and proliferation by using the rabbit VX2 tumor model. STUDY DESIGN: Ninety-six models were randomly divided into 4 groups: transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) group, radiofrequency ablation group (RFA) group, TACE+RFA group, and transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE)+RFA group. RESULTS: The high expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was observed in the adjacent liver tissue in TACE and TACE+RFA. The highest increase of transaminase levels and serum HSP70 were detected in the TACE+RFA group. The TAE+RFA group had a low apoptotic rate and more hepatocyte proliferation as compared to the TACE and TACE+RFA groups, and it had the longest end-point survival among these groups. CONCLUSION: The TAE+RFA treatment had a better outcome than RFA, including better liver tumor control, less liver injury, and a longer survival. Compared to TACE and TACE+RFA procedures, TAE+RFA significantly decreased the liver injury, hepatocellular necrosis, apoptosis, and systemic proinflammatory cytokine release caused by anticancer drug application. © Science Printers and Publishers, Inc.