title: [Effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Tumor Hospital, Cancer Centre of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China.
authors.forename: Heng-jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Hui-hong
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Min-shan
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhen-wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Yao-jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiong-hao
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Ya-qi
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jin-qin
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: 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