Current status of radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 1 Summary of therapeutic results of 6 large series cohort studies with percutaneous RFA alone

Year	Author	PatientNo.	Size (cm)1	FU (mo)2	LTP (%)3	New recur (%)4	Major Cx (%)5	Overall survival (%)			Median survival(mo)	Evidence6
								1 yr	3 yr	5 yr
2005	Lencioni et al[13]	206	< 5	24	10	49	2.0	97	67	41	57	2
2005	Tateishi et al[14]	319	< 5	28	8.7	60	4.0	95	78	54	NA	2
2005	Chen et al[15]	256	< 8	2-69	NA	NA	2.4	83	67	41	NA	2
2007	Choi et al[16]	570	< 5	30	11.8	52	1.9	95	70	58	77	2
2008	Livraghi et al[17]	216	< 2	31	0.9	NA	1.8	NA	76	55	NA	2
2009	N'Kontchou et al[18]	235	< 5	27	11.5	42	0.9	NA	60	40	48

RFA: Radiofrequency ablation;

¹Maximum diameter of tumor;

²Mean follow-up period;

³Rate of local tumor progression;

⁴Rate of new recurrence including intrahepatic remote and extrahepatic metastasis;

⁵Rate of major complications requiring additional hospitalization or therapeutic procedure;

⁶Level of evidence.

Table 2 Summary of 5 randomized controlled studies on comparison between RFA and PEI

Year	Author	Treatment	Patient No.	FU (mo)1	Initial CR2/Tumor (%)	Initial CR2/Patient (%)	Overall survival (%)			Evidence4
							1 yr	2 yr	3 yr
2003	Lencioni et al[43]	RFA	42	23	91	NA3	100	98	NA	2
		PEI	44	22	82	NA	96	88	NA
2004	Lin et al[44]	RFA	52	24	96	96	90	82	74	1
		PEI	105	24	91	91	87	62	48
2005	Lin et al[45]	RFA	62	28	97	97	93	81	74	1
		PEI	62	26	88	89	81	66	51
2005	Shiina et al[46]	RFA	118	~4.3 yr	100	97	97	91	81	1
		PEI	187	~4.2 yr	100	91	91	81	67
2008	Brunello et al[47]	RFA	70	26	NA	96	NA	NA	63	1
		PEI	69	25	NA	66	NA	NA	59

PEI: Percutaneous ethanol injections;

¹Mean follow-up period;

²Complete response rate;

³Not available;

⁴Level of evidence.

Table 3 Summary of 6 clinical studies on comparison between RFA and surgical resection

Year	Author	Study	Treatment	Patient No.	FU (mo)1	Tumor size (cm)	Overall survival (%)					P-value	Evidence3
							1 yr	2 yr	3 yr	4 yr	5 yr
2004	Vivarelli et al[51]	NR4	RFA	79	29	< 5	78	NA	33	NA	NA	0.020	2
			Resection	79			88	NA	65	NA	NA
2005	Montorsi et al[52]	NR	RFA	58	NA2	< 5	85	75	61	45	NA	0.139	2
			Resection	48			84	79	73	61	NA
2005	Hong et al[53]	NR	RFA	55	35	< 5	100	NA	74	NA	NA	0.240	2
			Resection	93			98	NA	84	NA	NA
2005	Chen et al[54]	R5	RFA	47	36	< 5	93	82	64	NA	NA	0.753	1
			Resection	65			93	86	67	NA	NA
2006	Lü et al[55]	R	RFA	51	NA	< 5	94	87	87	NA	NA	0.808	1
			Resection	54			91	86	86	NA	NA
2009	Ueno et al[56]	NR	RFA	110	36	< 5	98	NA	92	NA	63	0.060	2
			Resection	123			99	NA	92	NA	80

¹Mean follow-up period;

²Not available;

³Level of evidence;

⁴Non-randomized study;

⁵Randomized controlled study.