A 64-year-old diabetic male patient with a large hepatocellular carcinoma in the right lobe of the liver with immediate contiguity with liver surface and partial thrombosis of the right portal vein, developed fatal liver abscess shortly following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization with a reduced dose of chemoembolization mixture and no Gelfoam particles. We concluded that TACE in such circumstances may carry significant risk, even though the modified technique is employed.