title: Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in the caudate lobe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (PRFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the caudate lobe.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2001 and December 2006, 17 patients (twelve males and five females) who were between 33 and 68years old (mean 54.3), with caudate lobe HCC [2.0-6.5cm in diameter (mean 3.1)] were treated with either PRFA alone (n=14), or PRFA with percutaneous ethanol injection (n=3) under ultrasound guidance. The right or the anterior approach was used in 12 and 5 patients, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All procedures were performed successfully. There was no mortality and major morbidity due to PRFA. Fourteen tumors (82%) were completely ablated after one to two sessions of treatment. During follow-up (range 3-60, mean 29.1months), two (14%) developed local recurrence. Intrahepatic metastases developed in 9 of 17 patients (53%). No distant metastasis was found. Four patients died (24%), 3 from tumor progression and 1 from hepatic failure. The 1-, 2-, and 4-year overall survivals were 88%, 80%, and 72%, respectively, and the progress free survivals were 47%, 20%, and 10%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PRFA is efficacious and safe for patients with HCC in the caudate lobe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Cancer Centre of Sun Yat-Sen University, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, China.
authors.forename: Z-W
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: H-H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: M-S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Y-J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J-Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Y-Q
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D007902:Length of Stay; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome