High-intensity focused ultrasound ablation: An effective bridging therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Table 1 Patient demographics

	HIFU (n = 10)	TACE (n = 29)	P value
Age (yr)	59.5 (49-76)	57 (43-65)	0.107
Sex (male/female)	7/3	24/5	0.399
Child-Pugh A disease	3 (30)	17 (58.6)	0.267
Child-Pugh B disease	6 (60)	12 (41.4)
Child-Pugh C disease	1 (10)	0
Carrier of hepatitis B virus	5 (50)	28 (96.5)	0.002
Carrier of hepatitis C virus	4 (40)	1 (3.4)	0.011
Serum bilirubin (μmol/L)	14.5 (6-36)	25 (4-49)	0.074
Serum albumin (g/dL)	32 (27-38)	34 (20-43)	0.606
Platelet count (109/L)	67 (28-166)	59 (23-144)	0.688
Aspartate transaminase (U/L)	52 (29-141)	47 (15-104)	0.440
Alanine transaminase (U/L)	44 (26-109)	36 (9-132)	0.376
Alpha-fetoprotein (ng/mL)	8 (2-160)	24 (1-1151)	0.101
International normalized ratio	1.25 (0.9-1.5)	1.3 (1.0-1.5)	0.960
Largest tumor size (cm)	2.6 (1.2-4.0)	2.0 (0.8-4.3)	0.252
Tumor number	1 (1-2)	1 (1-3)	0.172

Data are expressed as absolute n (%) or median (range). HIFU: High-intensity focused ultrasound; TACE: Transarterial chemoembolization.

Table 2 Patients' model for end-stage liver disease and Child-Pugh scores

	HIFU (n = 10)	TACE (n = 29)
MELD score (P = 0.687)
14	0	2
13	1	4
12	1	4
11	4	7
10	1	3
9	1	3
8	0	1
7	1	4
6	1	1
Child-Pugh score (P = 0.096)
5	0	10
6	3	7
7	5	4
8	1	5
9	0	2
10	1	1

MELD: Model for end-stage liver disease; HIFU: High-intensity focused ultrasound; TACE: Transarterial chemoembolization.