title: [The factors related to the prognosis of solitary hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several risk factors, such as size and location, are related to local recurrence after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objectives of this study were to clarify factors related to prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  From October 1999 to December 2002, we performed RFA for 107 consecutive patients with solitary HCC. We evaluated spiral computed tomography and serum alpha-fetoprotein level every 3 months after RFA. Seven possible factors for prognosis were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model: tumor size, tumor location, age, sex, etiology, platelet count, and Child-Pugh classification. Overall survival and disease free survival rate were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences between two groups were compared using the log rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall survival after radiofrequency ablation were 90.5% at 12 months, 67.4% at 24 months and 46.4% at 36 months and disease free survival were 71.4%, 46.7% and 20.9%, respectively. Using the Cox proportional hazards regression model, it was shown that with regard to overall survival and disease free survival, Child-Pugh classification (P=0.001, P=0.026) and platelet count (P<0.001, P=0.002) were statistically significant factors. The other factors did not have a statistically significant relationship to overall survival and disease free survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The size and location known as local recurrence factors were not statistically significant with regard to survival and disease free survival. The Child-Pugh classification and platelet count, that reflect the liver function at the time of RFA, were significant factors for prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: In-Kwon
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Min-Jae
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ki-Tae
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Young-Dae
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yun-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Sung-Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Myung-Kwon
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyang-Eun
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Young-Doo
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chang-Min
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Won-Young
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Tak
authors.forename: Young-Oh
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Kweon
authors.forename: Sung-Kook
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong-Hwan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D015996:Survival Rate; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins