Efficacy of radiofrequency ablation combined with sorafenib for treating liver cancer complicated with portal hypertension and prognostic factors

BACKGROUND Patients with liver cancer complicated by portal hypertension present complex challenges in treatment.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation in combination with sorafenib for improving liver function and its impact on the prognosis of patients with this condition.METHODS Data from 100 patients with liver cancer complicated with portal hypertension from May 2014 to March 2019 were analyzed and divided into a study group(n=50)and a control group(n=50)according to the treatment regimen.The research group received radiofrequency ablation(RFA)in combination with sorafenib,and the control group only received RFA.The short-term efficacy of both the research and control groups was observed.Liver function and portal hypertension were compared before and after treatment.Alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),glypican-3(GPC-3),and AFP-L3 levels were compared between the two groups prior to and after treatment.The occurrence of adverse reactions in both groups was observed.The 3-year survival rate was compared between the two groups.Basic data were compared between the survival and non-surviving groups.To identify the independent risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with liver cancer complicated by portal hypertension,multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed.RESULTS When comparing the two groups,the research group's total effective rate(82.00%)was significantly greater than that of the control group(56.00%;P<0.05).Following treatment,alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels increased,and portal vein pressure decreased in both groups.The degree of improvement for every index was substantially greater in the research group than in the control group(P<0.05).Following treatment,the AFP,GPC-3,and AFP-L3 levels in both groups decreased,with the research group having significantly lower levels than the control group(P<0.05).The incidence of diarrhea,rash,nausea and vomiting,and fatigue in the research group was significantly greater than that in the control group(P<0.05).The 1-,2-,and 3-year survival rates of the research group(94.00%,84.00%,and 72.00%,respectively)were significantly greater than those of the control group(80.00%,64.00%,and 40.00%,respectively;P<0.05).Significant differences were observed between the survival group and the non-surviving group in terms of Child-Pugh grade,history of hepatitis,number of tumors,tumor size,use of sorafenib,stage of liver cancer,histological differentiation,history of splenectomy and other basic data(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that high Child-Pugh grade,tumor size(6–10 cm),history of hepatitis,no use of sorafenib,liver cancer stage IIIC,and previous splenectomy were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with liver cancer complicated with portal hypertension(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Patients suffering from liver cancer complicated by portal hypertension benefit from the combination of RFA and sorafenib therapy because it effectively restores liver function and increases survival rates.The prognosis of patients suffering from liver cancer complicated by portal hypertension is strongly associated with factors such as high Child-Pugh grade,tumor size(6-10 cm),history of hepatitis,lack of sorafenib use,liver cancer at stage IIIC,and prior splenectomy.

Efficacy and safety of percutaneous transhepatic biliary radiofrequency ablation in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice

BACKGROUND Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage(PTCD)and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography/endoscopic nasobiliary drainage are the most common clinical procedures for jaundice control in patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice,yet the safety and effect of endobiliary radiofrequency ablation(EB-RFA)combined PTCD is rarely reported,in this article,we report our experience of EB-RFA combined PTCD in such patients.AIM To retrospectively study the efficacy and safety of EB-RFA combined PTCD in patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice.METHODS Patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice treated with EB-RFA under PTCD were selected,the bile ducts of the right posterior lobe was selected as the target bile ducts in all cases.The general conditions of all patients,preoperative tumour markers,total bilirubin(TBIL),direct bilirubin(DBIL),albumin(ALB),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),and glutamyl transferase(GGT)before and on the 7th day after the procedure,as well as perioperative complications,stent patency time and patient survival were recorded.RESULTS All patients successfully completed the operation,TBIL and DBIL decreased significantly in all patients at the 7th postoperative day(P=0.009 and 0.006,respectively);the values of ALB,ALP and GGT also decreased compared with the preoperative period,but the difference was not statistically significant.Perioperative biliary bleeding occurred in 2 patients,which was improved after transfusion of blood and other conservative treatments,pancreatitis appeared in 1 patient after the operation,no serious complication and death happened after operation.Except for 3 patients with loss of visits,the stent patency rate of the remaining 14 patients was 100%71%and 29%at the 1^(st),3^(rd),and 6^(th)postoperative months respectively,with a median survival of 4 months.CONCLUSION EB-RFA under PTCD in patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice has a satisfactory therapeutic effect and high safety,which is worthy of further clinical practice.

Severe hypoxemia after radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation in palliatively repaired tetralogy of Fallot: A case report

BACKGROUND Patients with tetralogy of Fallot(TOF)often have arrhythmias,commonly being atrial fibrillation(AF).Radiofrequency ablation is an effective treatment for AF and does not usually cause severe postoperative hypoxemia,but the risk of complications may increase in patients with conditions such as TOF.CASE SUMMARY We report a young male patient with a history of TOF repair who developed severe hypoxemia after radiofrequency ablation for AF and was ultimately confirmed to have a new right-to-left shunt.The patient subsequently underwent atrial septal occlusion and eventually recovered.CONCLUSION Radiofrequency ablation may cause iatrogenic atrial septal injury;thus possible complications should be predicted in order to ensure successful treatment and patient safety.

Endoscopic ultrasound guided radiofrequency ablation for pancreatic tumors: A critical review focusing on safety, efficacy and controversies

The role of endoscopic ultrasound(EUS)in the last two decades has shifted from a diagnostic tool to an important therapeutic tool treating mainly pancreatobiliary disorders.In recent years,its applications for treating pancreatic diseases have broadened,including the implementation of radiofrequency ablation(RFA),which has been traditionally used for treating solid tumors.In this critical indepth review,we summarized all the papers throughout the literature regarding EUS-RFA for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms,adenocarcinoma,and pancreatic cystic lesions.Overall,for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms we identified 16 papers that reported 96 patients who underwent EUS-RFA,with acceptable adverse events that were rated mild to moderate and a high complete radiological resolution rate of 90%.For pancreatic adenocarcinoma,we identified 8 papers with 121 patients.Adverse events occurred in 13%of patients,mostly rated mild.However,no clear survival benefit was demonstrated.For pancreatic cystic lesions,we identified 4 papers with 38 patients.The adverse events were mostly mild and occurred in 9.1%of patients,and complete or partial radiological resolution of the cysts was reported in 36.8%.Notably,the procedure was technically feasible for most of the patients.Nevertheless,a long road remains before this technique finds its definite place in guidelines due to several controversies.EUS-RFA for pancreatic tumors seems to be safe and effective,especially for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms,but multicenter prospective trials are needed to consider this treatment as a gold standard.

Radiofrequency ablation is an inferior option to liver resection for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma≤5 cm without cirrhosis:A population-based study with stratification by tumor size

Background:About 10%-20%of all individuals who develop hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)do not have cirrhosis.Comparisons are rarely reported regarding the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation(RFA)and liver resection(LR)in survival of HCC without cirrhosis and stratification by tumor size≤5 cm.Methods:We used the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results(SEER)database and identified 1505 patients with a solitary HCC tumor≤5 cm who underwent RFA or LR during 2004-2015.Patients were classified into non-cirrhosis and cirrhosis groups and each group was categorized into three subgroups,according to tumor size(≤30 mm,31-40 mm,41-50 mm).Results:In patients without cirrhosis,LR showed better 5-year HCC cancer-specific survival than RFA in all tumor size subgroups(≤30 mm:82.51%vs.56.42%;31-40 mm:71.31%vs.46.83%;41-50 mm:74.7%vs.37.5%;all P<0.05).Compared with RFA,LR was an independent protective factor for HCC cancer-specific survival in multivariate Cox analysis[≤30 mm:hazard ratio(HR)=0.533,95%confidence interval(CI):0.313-0.908;31-40 mm:HR=0.439,95%CI:0.201-0.957;41-50 mm:HR=0.382;95%CI:0.159-0.916;all P<0.05].In patients with cirrhosis,for both tumor size≤30 mm and 31-40 mm groups,there were no significant survival differences between RFA and LR in multivariate analysis(all P>0.05).However,in those with tumor size 41-50 mm,LR showed significantly better 5-year HCC cancer-specific survival than RFA in both univariate(54.72%vs.23.06%;P<0.001)and multivariate analyses(HR=0.297;95%CI:0.136-0.648;P=0.002).Conclusions:RFA is an inferior treatment option to LR for patients without cirrhosis who have a solitary HCC tumor≤5 cm.

Radiofrequency ablation for renal tumours: A retrospective study from a tertiary centre

Objective:This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy outcomes of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation(RFA)for localised renal cell carcinoma(RCC)in a tertiary hospital patient who remained unfit for surgical intervention.Methods:We retrospectively analysed survival outcomes for patients with biopsy proven RCC treated by RFA at Royal Perth Hospital between September 2009 and May 2018.Complication data were gathered for all patients that underwent renal RFA along with 2-and 5-year recurrence-free survival(RFS)rate and compared the outcomes with data from previous studies.Results:A total of 69 patients(73 procedures)were eligible for the study,and those patients had biopsy-proven RCC with a minimum of 2-year follow-up.The complication rate was 8.2%(6/73)and local recurrence rate 9.6%(7/73).Two-year RFS is 95.7% and 5-year RFS is 78.8% on a median 3.82-year follow-up(interquartile range 1.90-5.75 years).Conclusion:RFA performed at our centre was found to be safe and effective with low complication rates and durable RFS in line with expectations from existing research.Our study demonstrated that RFA is an alternative modality of treatment for small renal tumours in patients unfit for surgical approach.

Hemocholecyst caused by accidental injury associated with radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Radiofrequency ablation(RFA)is an effective and safe treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma that features a lower incidence of serious complications than surgical resection.Hemocholecyst caused by RFA is a rare complication of secondary damage to the intrahepatic bile duct that results in hemobilia.CASE SUMMARY Here we report on a case of a hemocholecyst caused by accidental injury during RFA that induced hematemesis and melena.Digital subtraction angiography revealed no gallbladder arterial injuries.After conservative treatment and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization,the patient’s condition stabilized,and she was discharged 1 wk later.CONCLUSION Therefore,when performing interventional procedures such as RFA,clinicians must be vigilant because even minor injuries can lead to serious complications such as hemocholecyst.

Endoscopic intraductal radiofrequency ablation for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma:An update(2023)

Recently,endoscopic intraductal radiofrequency ablation(ID-RFA)has attracted attention as a local treatment method for malignant biliary obstruction(MBO).IDRFA causes coagulative necrosis of the tumor tissue in the stricture and induces exfoliation.Its effects are expected to extend the patency period of biliary stents and prolong the survival period.Evidence for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(eCCA)is gradually accumulating,and some reports show significant therapeutic effects in eCCA patients without distant metastasis.However,it is still far from an established treatment technique,and many unsolved problems remain.Therefore,when performing ID-RFA in clinical practice,it is necessary to understand and grasp the current evidence well and to operate appropriately for the true benefit of the patients.This paper reviews the current status,issues,and prospects of endoscopic ID-RFA for MBO,especially for eCCA.

Meta-analysis of radiofrequency ablation in combination with transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To compare radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) with RFA monotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: We searched PubMed, Medline, Embase and Chinese databases (CBMdisc and Wanfang data) for randomized controlled trails comparing RFA plus TACE and RFA alone for treatment of HCC from January 2000 to December 2012. The overall survival rate, re-currence-free survival rate, tumor progression rate, and safety were analyzed and compared. The analysis was conducted on dichotomous outcomes and the standard meta-analytical techniques were used. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95%CIs were calculated using either the fixed-effects or random-effects model. For each meta-analysis, the χ2 and I2 tests were first calculated to assess the heterogeneity of the included trials. For P<0.05 and I 2>50%, the assumption of homogeneity was deemed invalid, and the random-effects model wasused; otherwise, data were assessed using the fixed-effects model. All statistical analysis was conducted us-ing Review manager (version 4.2.2.) from the Cochrane collaboration. RESULTS: Eight randomized controlled trials were identified as eligible for inclusion in this analysis and included 598 patients with 306 treated with RFA plus TACE and 292 with RFA alone. Our data analysis indicated that RFA plus TACE was associated a sig-nificantly higher overall survival rate (OR 1-year=2.96, 95%CI: 1.84-7.74, P<0.001; OR 2-year=3.72, 95%CI: 1.24-11.16, P=0.02; OR 3-year=2.65, 95%CI: 1.81-3.86, P<0.001) and recurrence-free survival rate (OR 3-year=3.00, 95%CI: 1.75-5.13, P<0.001; OR 5-year=2.26, 95%CI: 1.43-3.57, P=0.0004) vs that of RFA alone. The tumor progression rate in patients treated with RFA alone was higher than that of RFA plus TACE (OR=0.60, 95%CI: 0.42-0.88, P=0.008) and there was no significant difference on major complications between two different kinds of treatment (OR=1.20, 95%CI: 0.31-4.62, P=0.79). Additionally, the meta-analysis data of subgroups revealed that the survival rate was significantly higher in patients with intermediate-and large-size HCC underwent RFA plus TACE than in those underwent RFA monotherapy; however, there was no significant difference between RFA plus TACE and RFA on survival rate for small HCC. CONCLUSION: The combination of RFA with TACE has advantages in improving overall survival rate, and pro-vides better prognosis for patients with intermediate-and large-size HCC.

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization followed by immediate radiofrequency ablation for large solitary hepatocellular carcinomas

AIM: To assess the technical safety and efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with immediate radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for large hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) (maximum diameter ≥ 5 cm). METHODS: Individual lesions in 18 patients with HCCs (mean maximum diameter: 7.5 cm; range: 5.1-15.5 cm) were treated by TACE combined with percutaneous RFA between January 2010 and June 2012. All of the patients had previously undergone one to four cycles of TACE treatment. Regular imaging and laboratory tests were performed to evaluate the rate of technical success, technique-related complications, local-regional tumor responses, recurrence-free survival time and survival rate after treatment.RESULTS: Technical success was achieved for all 18 visible HCCs. Complete response (CR) was observed in 17 cases, and partial response was observed in 1 case 1 mo after intervention. The CR rate was 94.4%. Local tumors were mainly characterized by coagulative necrosis. During follow-up (2-29 mo), the mean recurrencefree survival time was 16.8 ± 4.0 mo in 17 cases of CR. The estimated overall survival rate at 6, 12, and 18 mo was 100%. No major complications were observed. Levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the blood of 17 patients transiently increased on the third day after treatment (ALT 200.4 ± 63.4 U/L vs 24.7 ± 9.3 U/L, P < 0.05; AST 228.1 ± 25.4 U/L vs 32.7 ± 6.8 U/L, P < 0.05). Severe pain occurred in three patients, which was controlled with morphine and fentanyl. CONCLUSION: TACE combined with immediate RFA is a safe and effective treatment for large solitary HCCs. Severe pain is a major side effect, but can be controlled by morphine.

Ten-year survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation as a first-line treatment

AIM: To investigate the long-term survival and prognostic factors in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation(RFA) as a first-line treatment.METHODS: From 2000 to 2013, 316 consecutivepatients with 404 HCC(1.0-5.0 cm; mean: 3.2 ± 1.1 cm) underwent ultrasonography-guided percutaneous RFA as a first-line treatment. There were 250 males and 66 females with an average age of 60.1 ± 10.8 years(24-87 years). Patients were followed for 1 year to > 10 years after RFA(234, 181, 136, and 71 for 3, 5, 7, and 10 years, respectively). Overall local response rates and long-term survival rates were assessed. Survival results were generated using Kaplan-Meier estimates, and multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox regression model. RESULTS: In total, 548 RFA sessions were performed and major complications occurred in 10 sessions(1.8%). Local tumor progression and/or new tumor development were observed in 43.3%(132/305) of the patients during the follow-up period. Overall 5-and 10-year survival rates were 49.7% and 28.4%, respectively. Based on multivariate analysis, three factors were identified as independent prognostic factors for overall survival: Child-Pugh classification(HR = 4.054, P < 0.001), portal vein hypertension(HR = 2.743, P = 0.002), and tumor number(HR = 2.693, P = 0.003). The local progression-free 5- and 10-year survival rates were 42.7% and 19.5%. In addition to the Child-Pugh classification and the number of tumors, the number of RFA sessions(HR = 1.550, P = 0.002) was associated with local progression-free survival.CONCLUSION: RFA can achieve acceptable outcomes for HCC patients as a first-line treatment, especially for patients with Child-Pugh class A, patients with a single tumor and patients without portal vein hypertension.

Percutaneous microwave ablation vs radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular cancer ranks fifth among cancers and is related to chronic viral hepatitis, alcohol abuse,steatohepatitis and liver autoimmunity. Surgical resection and orthotopic liver transplantation have curative potential, but fewer than 20% of patients are suitable candidates. Interventional treatments are offered to the vast majority of patients. Radiofrequency(RFA) and microwave ablation(MWA) are among the therapeutic modalities, with similar indications which include the presence of up to three lesions, smaller than 3 cm in size, and the absence of extrahepatic disease. The therapeutic effect of both methods relies on thermal injury, but MWA uses an electromagnetic field as opposed to electrical current used in RFA. Unlike MWA, the effect of RFA is partially limited by the heat-sink effect and increased impedance of the ablated tissue. Compared with RFA, MWA attains a more predictable ablation zone, permits simultaneous treatment of multiple lesions, and achieves larger coagulation volumes in a shorter procedural time. Major complications of both methods are comparable and infrequent(approximately 2%-3%), and they include haemorrhage, infection/abscess, visceral organ injury, liver failure, and pneumothorax. RFA may incur the additional complication of skin burns. Nevertheless, there is no compelling evidence for differences in clinical outcomes, including local recurrence rates and survival.

Radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma sized> 3 and ≤ 5 cm: Is ablative margin of more than 1 cm justified?

AIM:To investigate whether an ablative margin(AM)>1.0 cm might reduce chance of recurrence for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)tumors 3.1to 5.0 cm in size,compared with an AM of 0.5-1.0 cm.METHODS:From October 2005 to December 2012,936 consecutive patients with HCC who received radiofrequency ablation were screened.Of these,281 patients,each with a single primary HCC tumor of 3.1 to5.0 cm in size on its greatest diameter,were included in the study.Based on the AM width,we categorized patients into the 0.5-1.0 cm group and the>1.0 cm group.Local tumor progression(LTP)-free survival,intrahepatic distant recurrence(IDR)-free survival and overall survival(OS)rates were obtained using the Kaplan-Meier method.RESULTS:The 1-,2-,3-,4-,and 5-year LTP-free survival rates and IDR-free survival rates were significantly higher in the>1.0 cm group compared with the 0.5-1.0cm group(97.5%,86.3%,73.6%,49.5%and 26.4%vs 91.3%,78.4%,49.5%,27.8%,and 12.8%;95.1%,90.3%,77.0%,61.0%and 48.3%vs 95.2%,85.9%,62.6%,47.2%and 28.5%;P<0.05).The 1-,2-,3-,4-,and 5-year OS rates were 98.6%,91.5%,69.2%,56.0%and 42.2%,respectively,in the 0.5-1.0 cm group and 100%,98.9%,90.1%,68.7%and 57.4%,respectively,in the>1.0 cm group(P=0.010).There were no significant differences in complication rates between the two groups.Both univariate and multivariate analyses identified AM as an independent prognostic factor linked to LTP,IDR,and OS.CONCLUSION:For HCC tumors>3.0 cm and≤5.0cm,AM>1.0 cm could reduce chances of recurrence compared with AM of 0.5-1.0 cm,emphasizing the need for a more defensive strategy using AMs>1.0 cm for ablating HCC tumors of 3.1 to 5.0 cm.

Radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma:Current status

Ablation therapy is one of the best curative treatment options for malignant liver tumors,and can be an alternative to resection.Radiofrequency ablation(RFA) of primary and secondary liver cancers can be performed safely using percutaneous,laparoscopic,or open surgical techniques,and RFA has markedly changed the treatment strategy for small hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Percutaneous RFA can achieve the same overall and disease-free survival as surgical resection for patients with small HCC.The use of a laparoscopic or open approach allows repeated placements of RFA electrodes at multiple sites to ablate larger tumors.RFA combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization will make the treatment of larger tumors a clinically viable treatment alternative.However,an accurate evaluation of treatment response is very important to secure successful RFA therapy.Since a sufficient safety margin(at least 0.5 cm) can prevent local tumor recurrences,an accurate evaluation of treatment response is very important to secure successful RFA therapy.To minimize complications of RFA,clinicians should be familiar with the imaging features of each type of complication.Appropriate management of complications is essential for successful RFA treatment.

Radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma:A meta analysis

AIM:To evaluate survival and recurrence after radiofrequency ablation(RFA) for the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) using a meta-analysis.METHODS:Literature on RFA vs surgical resection for the treatment of small HCC published between January 1990 and December 2008 was retrieved.A metaanalysis was conducted to estimate pooled survival and recurrence ratios.A fixed or random effect model was established to collect the data.RESULTS:The differences in overall survival at 1-year,3-years and at end of follow-up were not statistically significant between the RFA and surgery groups(P > 0.05).There were no differences in 1-year and 3-year recurrences between the RFA and surgery groups(P > 0.05).However,recurrence in the RFA group was lower than that in the surgery group up to the end of follow-up(P = 0.03).Survival was not significantly different.There was a significant difference in recurrences at the end of follow-up after RFA compared with surgical resection.CONCLUSION:RFA did not decrease the number of overall recurrences,and had no effect on survival when compared with surgical resection in a selected group of patients.

Microwave ablation is as effective as radiofrequency ablation for very-early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation(RFA) is a first?line treatment for very?early?stage hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), whereas the efficacy of percutaneous microwave ablation(MWA) for very?early?stage HCC remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify this issue by comparing the safety and efficacy of percutaneous MWA with percutaneous RFA in treating very?early?stage HCC.Methods: Clinical data of 460 patients who were diagnosed with very?early?stage HCC and treated with percutane?ous MWA or RFA between January 2007 and July 2012 at the Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, The Second Mili?tary Medical University, in Shanghai, China were retrospectively analyzed. Of these 460 patients, 159 received RFA, 301 received MWA. Overall survival(OS), recurrence?free survival(RFS), local tumor progression(LTP), complete ablation, and complication occurrence rates were compared between the two groups, and the prognostic factors associated with survival were analyzed.Results: No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of the 1?, 3?, or 5?year OS rates(99.3%, 90.4%, and 78.3% for MWA vs. 98.7%, 86.8%, and 73.3% for RFA, respectively; P = 0.331). Furthermore, no signif?icant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of the corresponding RFS rates(94.4%, 71.8%, and 46.9% for MWA vs. 89.9%, 67.3%, and 54.9% for RFA, respectively; P ete ablation rates(98.3% vs. 98.1%, P = 0.309), the LTP rates(9.6% vs. 10.1%, P = 0.883), the compl multivariate analysis, LTP, an= 0.860), or the occurrence rates of major complications(0.7% vs. 0.6%, P = 0.691). Bytiviral therapy, and treatment of recurrence were independent risk fac?tors for OS(P < 0.001), and the alpha?fetoprotein level was an independent prognostic factor for RFS(P = 0.002).Conclusions: MWA is as safe and effective as RFA in treating very?early?stage HCC, supporting MWA as a first?line treatment option for this disease.

Laparoscopic vs computerized tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation for large hepatic hemangiomas abutting the diaphragm

AIM: To compare safety and therapeutic efficacy of laparoscopic radiofrequency(RF) ablation vs computed tomography(CT)-guided RF ablation for large hepatic hemangiomas abutting the diaphragm.METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed our sequential experience of treating 51 large hepatic hemangiomas abutting the diaphragm in 51 patients by CT-guided or laparoscopic RF ablation due to either the presence of symptoms and/or the enlargement of hemangioma.Altogether, 24 hemangiomas were ablated via a CTguided percutaneous approach(CT-guided ablation group), and 27 hemangiomas were treated via a laparoscopic approach(laparoscopic ablation group).RESULTS: The mean diameter of the 51 hemangiomas was 9.6 ± 1.8 cm(range, 6.0-12.0 cm). There was nodifference in the diameter of hemangiomas between the two groups(P > 0.05). RF ablation was performed successfully in all patients. There was no difference in ablation times between groups(P > 0.05). There were 23 thoracic complications in 17 patients: 15(62.5%, 15/24) in the CT-guided ablation group and2(7.4%, 2/27) in the laparoscopic ablation group(P< 0.05). According to the Dindo-Clavien classification,two complications(pleural effusion and diaphragmatic rupture grade Ⅲ) were major in two patients. All others were minor(grade Ⅰ). Both major complications occurred in the CT-guided ablation group. The minor complications were treated successfully with conservative measures, and the two major complications underwent treatment by chest tube drainage and thoracoscopic surgery, respectively. Complete ablation was achieved in 91.7%(22/24) and 96.3%(26/27) in the CT-guided and the laparoscopic ablation groups,respectively(P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic RF ablation therapy should be used as the first-line treatment option for large hepatic hemangiomas abutting the diaphragm.It avoids thermal injury to the diaphragm and reduces thoracic complications.

Current oncologic applications of radiofrequency ablation therapies

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) uses high frequency alternating current to heat a volume of tissue around a needle electrode to induce focal coagulative necrosis with minimal injury to surrounding tissues. RFA can be performed via an open, laparoscopic, or image guided percutaneous approach and be performed under general or local anesthesia. Advances in delivery mechanisms, electrode designs, and higher power generators have increased the maximum volume that can be ablated, while maximizing oncological outcomes. In general, RFA is used to control local tumor growth, prevent recurrence, palliate symptoms, and improve survival in a subset of patients that are not candidates for surgical resection. It's equivalence to surgical resection has yet to be proven in large randomized control trials. Currently, the use of RFA has been well described as a primary or adjuvant treatment modality of limited but unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, liver metastasis, especially colorectal cancer metastases, primary lung tumors, renal cell carcinoma, boney metastasis and osteoid osteomas. The role of RFA in the primary treatment of early stage breast cancer is still evolving. This review will discuss the general features of RFA and outline its role in commonly encountered solid tumors.

Value of radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a malignant disease that substantially affects public health worldwide.It is especially prevalent in east Asia and sub-Saharan Africa,where the main etiology is the endemic status of chronic hepatitis B.Effective treatments with curative intent for early HCC include liver transplantation,liver resection(LR),and radiofrequency ablation(RFA).RFA has become the most widely used local thermal ablation method in recent years because of its technical ease,safety,satisfactory local tumor control,and minimally invasive nature.This technique has also emerged as an important treatment strategy for HCC in recent years.RFA,liver transplantation,and hepatectomy can be complementary to one another in the treatment of HCC,and the outcome benefits have been demonstrated by numerous clinical studies.As a pretransplantation bridge therapy,RFA extends the average waiting time without increasing the risk of dropout or death.In contrast to LR,RFA causes almost no intraabdominal adhesion,thus producing favorable conditions for subsequent liver transplantation.Many studieshave demonstrated mutual interactions between RFA and hepatectomy,effectively expanding the operative indications for patients with HCC and enhancing the efficacy of these approaches.However,treated tumor tissue remains within the body after RFA,and residual tumors or satellite nodules can limit the effectiveness of this treatment.Therefore,future research should focus on this issue.

Radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma in difficult locations:Strategies and long-term outcomes

AIM:To investigate the treatment strategies and longterm outcomes of radiofrequency ablation(RFA) of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) in difficult locations and to compare the results with non-difficult HCC.METHODS:From 2004 to 2012,a total of 470 HCC patients underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous RFA.Among these HCC patients,382 with tumors located ≤ 5 mm from a major vessel/bile duct(n = 87),from peripheral important structures(n = 232) or from the liver capsule(n = 63) were regarded as difficult cases.There were 331 male patients and 51 female patients,with an average age of 55.3 ± 10.1 years old.A total of 235 and 147 patients had ChildPugh class A and class B liver function,respectively.The average tumor size was 3.4 ± 1.2 cm.Individual treatment strategies were developed to treat these difficult cases.During the same period,88 HCC patients with tumors that were not in difficult locations served as the control group.In the control group,74 patients were male,and 14 patients were female,with an average age of 57.4 ± 11.8 years old.Of these,62 patients and 26 patients had Child-Pugh class A and class B liver function,respectively.Regular follow-up after RFA was performed to assess treatment efficacy.Survival results were generated from Kaplan-Meier estimates,and multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox regression model.RESULTS:Early tumor necrosis rate in the difficult group was similar to that in the control group(97.6% vs 94.3%,P = 0.080).The complication rate in the difficult group was significantly higher than that in thecontrol group(4.9% vs 0.8%,P = 0.041).The followup period ranged from 6 to 116 mo,with an average of 28 ± 22.4 mo.Local progression rate in the difficult group was significantly higher than that in the control group(12.7% vs 7.1%,P = 0.046).However,the 1-,3-,5-,and 7-year overall survival rates in the difficult group were not significantly different from those in the control group(84.3%,54.4%,41.2%,and 29.9% vs 92.5%,60.3%,43.2%,and 32.8%,respectively,P = 0.371).Additionally,a multivariate analysis revealed that tumor location was not a significant risk factor for survival.CONCLUSION:There was no significant difference in long-term overall survival between the two groups even though the local progression rate was higher in the difficult group.