Lei ZL, Tan ZL, Luo YH, Yang M, Wang JL, Qin Z, Liu YY. Comparison of the efficacy of laparoscopic hepatectomy and radiofrequency ablation for small hepatocellular carcinoma: A retrospective study. World J Gastroenterol 2025; 31(45): 111540 [PMID: 41378322 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v31.i45.111540]
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04184437
Submitted on:
December 10, 2025, 12:40
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Reader Comments:
The study title "Comparison of the efficacy of laparoscopic hepatectomy and radiofrequency ablation for small hepatocellular carcinoma: A retrospective study" by Lei et al. aims to compare the long-term survival and perioperative outcomes of Laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This retrospective study included 254 patients with small HCC who were collected from Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between December 2022 and March 2025. The results showed that LH was associated with longer operative time, greater blood loss, prolonged recovery, higher costs, and increased complication rates. Consequently, LH, though associated with increased perioperative morbidity, provides superior long-term survival outcomes compared with RFA in patients with small HCC. This study had many limitations such as potential for selection bias and confounding factors that were not controlled for is inherent. The decision to undergo either LH or RFA was made based on clinical judgment and patient-specific factors, which could introduce bias. The sample size was still be insufficient to detect subtle differences in outcomes between the two modalities, especially for subgroups with specific tumor characteristics or comorbidities. Moreover, LH and RFA techniques have evolved over time, and variations in operator experience and institutional protocols could influence outcomes.