title: [The validity of radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma].
abstract: Radiofrequency ablation therapy (RFA) has now become the mainstream percutaneous local treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). RFA is superior to both percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) and percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) because of the large coagulation area obtained by a single session of RF ablation. In addition, the local recurrence rate after RFA is lower than that after PEI. Recently, to improve tumor ablation efficacy, several devices have been reported. We also designed RFA with balloon occlusion of the hepatic artery (balloon-occluded RFA, BoRFA). The coagulation area obtained by BoRFA was significantly larger than that obtained by standard RFA. In Japan, the results for RFA remain insufficient because of the short follow-up periods after treatments. Within a few years, we expect to clarify the indications for RFA treatment for HCC and the choice between RFA and other local treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minamikogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.forename: Fumie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kurokawa
authors.forename: Kiwamu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okita
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed