title: MWA combined with TACE as a combined therapy for unresectable large-sized hepotocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of microwave ablation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for unresectable large-sized hepotocellular carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained. Between May 2004 and December 2006, 34 consecutive patients with large unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (>5 cm) were alternately enrolled in one of two treatment groups: group 1 (n = 18), in which TACE was performed alone, and group 2 (n = 16), in which percutaneous ablation of HCC with microwave ablation was performed 2-4 weeks after TACE. All patients were followed up for 2-28 months to observe long-term therapeutic effects and complications in both groups. Tumor reduction rates, median survival time, and cumulative survival rates in both groups were calculated by using the unpaired Student t test and Kaplan-Meier method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Follow-up images showed reduction in tumor size was seen in 21 patients (61.7%; 7/18 in group 1, 14/16 in group 2), survival rates were better in group 2 than in group 1 (P = 0.003), during the median follow-up of 8 months, 10 patients (62.5%) remained alive in group 2, whereas 6 patients (33.3%) remained alive in group 1, the mean survival times were 6.13 months ± 0.83 in group 1 and 11.61 months ± 1.59 in group 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MWA combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization appears to be an effective and promising approach for the treatment of large-sized unresectable hepotocellular carcinoma. However, large-scale randomized clinical trials are needed to determine the future role of this treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Ultrasound, Chinese PLA General Hospital , 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing , 100853, PR China.
authors.forename: Cun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Fangyi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhiyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Changchun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000628:therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008872:Microwaves / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D004317:Doxorubicin; D002945:Cisplatin