Recurrence and treatment pattern in long-term survivors with hepatocellular carcinoma: a comparison between radiofrequency ablation and surgery as a first-line treatment.
BACKGROUND
We compare the recurrence and treatment pattern in long-term survivors after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and surgery for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
This retrospective study included 121 patients who survived for more than 5 years [RFA (n = 61) vs. surgery (n = 60)]. All patients underwent follow-up CT at a 3-4-month interval after the first-line treatment. The mean overall and disease-free survival duration was analyzed. The pattern of recurrence and treatment modalities for recurrence was compared between the patients who received RFA or surgery.


RESULTS
Disease-free survivors were found in 30% (18/61) of the RFA group and 60% (36/60) of the surgery group, respectively (P = 0.001). The mean disease-free survival duration were 35.4 months for the RFA group and 60.2 months for the surgery group, respectively (P = 0.018). Recurrence after initial treatment was more frequent in RFA group than for surgery group (mean number, 3.3 vs. 1.2; P = 0.000). There were no significant differences in the recurrence pattern and the treatment pattern for the recurrence between the both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgery is superior to RFA for the treatment of HCC in terms of disease-free survival and frequency of recurrence, although the overall survival duration, pattern of recurrence, and treatment pattern were similar between the both groups.
Kim
Hyojin
H
Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50, Ilwon-Dong, Kangnam-Ku, Seoul, 135-710, Republic of Korea.
Rhim
Hyunchul
H
Choi
Dongil
D
Lim
Hyo K
HK
Kim
Young-Sun
YS
Lee
Won Jae
WJ
Joh
Jae Won
JW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome