title: Efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation for elderly hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy in elderly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred and sixty-one patients with naïve HCC, including 107 elderly (aged ≥75 years) patients, who were treated with RFA between 2000 and 2007, were enrolled. Baseline characteristics, survival/recurrence rates and complications after RFA were compared between elderly and non-elderly patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the elderly group, the proportion of men, alcohol consumption, serum alanine aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase levels were significantly lower compared with those in the non-elderly group. There were no differences in Child-Pugh grade and tumor characteristics between the two groups. The cumulative survival rates in the elderly group were 82% at 3 years and 61% at 5 years, which was equivalent to the non-elderly group. Similarly, no differences were observed in recurrence rates. In multivariate analysis, Child-Pugh grade and tumor-related factors were significant factors associated with survival, but age was not. Although elderly patients had more extrahepatic comorbidities, their presence was not a factor associated with survival prognosis or complication after RFA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RFA treatment might be safe and effective in elderly patients, as well as non-elderly patients, with HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Saga Medical School Department of Hepatology, Saga Prefectural Hospital, Saga, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Toshihiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mizuta
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawazoe
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Eguchi
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: Taiga
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otuka
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oeda
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ario
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwane
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Iwata
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ozaki
authors.forename: Kazuma
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujimoto