[The factors related to the prognosis of solitary hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation].
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.
Chung
In-Kwon
IK
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.
Park
Min-Jae
MJ
Kwon
Ki-Tae
KT
Park
Young-Dae
YD
Chung
Yun-Jin
YJ
Jeon
Sung-Woo
SW
Lee
Myung-Kwon
MK
Seo
Hyang-Eun
HE
Lee
Young-Doo
YD
Cho
Chang-Min
CM
Tak
Won-Young
WY
Kweon
Young-Oh
YO
Kim
Sung-Kook
SK
Choi
Yong-Hwan
YH
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
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins