[Effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the short-term and long-term effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
The clinical data of 114 HCC patients, 104 males and 10 females, aged 55 (30 - 81), treated by RFA combined with TACE and followed up for 20 (1 - 82) months were analyzed.


RESULTS
Complete necrosis was achieved in 101 patients (88.6%). 10 patients showed incomplete necrosis and 3 patients showed new neoplasm, and they all underwent repeated RFA or TACE. No therapy-relative death was found. The overall 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year survival rates were 90.4%, 82.6%, 73.2%, 63.5%, and 49.1%respectively. The 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year tumor progression-free survival rates were 77.1%, 64.6%, 54.6%, 46.8%, and 36.4% respectively. The overall 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year survival rates for the tumors with the size < or = 5 cm and the tumors with the size of 5.1 - 7 cm were 95.5%, 84.6%, 73.1%, 61.5%, and 50.6% and 80.2%, 64.9%, 56.3%, 45.3%, and 39.5% respectively (P = 0.041). The overall 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year survival rates for the solitary tumor and multiple tumors (no more than 3 tumors) were 95.8%, 89.1%, 78.1%, 67.1%, and 56.7% and 80.0%, 60.6%, 46.6%, 33.4%, and 21.5% respectively (P = 0.001). The levels of albumin and alpha-fetoprotein, and boundary and number of tumors were proved to be independent risk factors of survival.


CONCLUSIONS
RFA combined with TACE is an effective treatment for HCC with satisfactory short-term and long-term effects, especially for the patients with tumor of the size of 5.1 - 7 cm or multiple lesions.
Gao
Heng-jun
HJ
Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Tumor Hospital, Cancer Centre of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China.
Liang
Hui-hong
HH
Chen
Min-shan
MS
Peng
Zhen-wei
ZW
Zhang
Yao-jun
YJ
Li
Peng
P
Pang
Xiong-hao
XH
Zhang
Ya-qi
YQ
Li
Jin-qin
JQ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies