Radiofrequency ablation as an alternative to hepatic resection for single small hepatocellular carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate whether radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an alternative to surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within the context of current guidelines.

METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with normal portal pressure and serum bilirubin level who initially underwent liver resection or RFA for a single HCC of maximum size 3 cm. Between-group differences in cumulative rates of survival and recurrence specific for HCC were analysed in the entire cohort and in a propensity score-matched cohort.

RESULTS: A total of 604 patients were enrolled, 273 in the liver resection group and 331 in the RFA group. The 5- and 10-year HCC-specific survival rates for the resection and RFA groups were 87·6 versus 82·1 per cent and 59·0 versus 61·2 per cent respectively (P = 0·214), whereas overall 5- and 10-year recurrence-free survival rates for the corresponding groups were 60·6 versus 39·4 per cent and 37·5 versus 25·1 per cent respectively (P < 0·001). In the propensity score-matched cohort (152 pairs), there were no differences in HCC-specific survival (hazard ratio (HR) 1·03 for RFA versus resection; P = 0·899), whereas recurrence-free survival again differed between the treatment groups (HR 1·75; P < 0·001). RFA was independently associated with poorer outcomes in terms of treatment-site recurrence-free survival (adjusted HR 1·66; P = 0·026), but not non-treatment-site recurrence-free survival (adjusted HR 1·15; P = 0·354).

CONCLUSION: Although RFA carries a higher risk of treatment-site recurrence than hepatic resection, it provides comparable overall survival in patients with a single small HCC without portal hypertension or a raised bilirubin level.