title: Meta-analysis of radiofrequency ablation versus hepatic resection for small hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is no clear consensus on the better therapy [radiofrequency ablation (RFA) versus hepatic resection (HR)] for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) eligible for surgical treatments. This study is a meta-analysis of the available evidence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review and meta-analysis of trials comparing RFA with HR for small HCC published from 1997 to 2009 in PubMed and Medline. Pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using either the fixed effects model or random effects model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One randomized controlled trial, and 9 nonrandomized controlled trials studies were included in this analysis. These studies included a total of 1411 patients: 744 treated with RFA and 667 treated with HR. The overall survival was significantly higher in patients treated with HR than in those treated with RFA at 3 years (OR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.44-0.71), and at 5 year (OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.36-1.01). RFA has a higher rates of local intrahepatic recurrence compared to HR (OR: 4.50, 95% CI: 2.45-8.27). In the HR group the 1, 3, and 5 years disease -free survival rates were significantly better than in the HR-treated patients (respectively: OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.35-0.84; OR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.28-0.68; OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.42-0.99). The postoperative morbidity was higher with HR (OR: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.13-0.65), but no significant differences were found concerning mortality. For tumors <or= 3 cm HR did not differ significantly from RFA for survival, as reported in three NRCTs .
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HR was superior to RFA in the treatment of patients with small HCC eligible for surgical treatments, particularly for tumors > 3 cm. However, the findings have to be carefully interpreted due to the lower level of evidence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreato-Vascular Surgery, the First affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors.forename: Yanming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yanfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Donghui
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhengfeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Jiamei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome