title: Effect of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation in incompletely treated hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided radiofrequency (RF) ablation in patients with incompletely treated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and to evaluate possible prognostic factors for this therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty nine patients with incompletely treated single HCC (≤ 5 cm) after TACE were treated with RF ablation. All patients were evaluated for complete tumor ablation rate, local recurrence-free rate, overall survival rate, and complications. Local recurrence-free rate and overall survival rate were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The possible prognostic factors of local recurrence-free rate and survival rate were analyzed using Cox proportional-hazards regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The complete tumor ablation rate was 92.3%. Local recurrence-free rates for 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-years were 81.7%, 63.1%, 53.6%, and 35.7%, respectively. One-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 96.9%, 82.9%, 67.8%, and 48.4%, respectively. Among prognostic factors included in the analysis, only tumor diameter (≤ 2 cm versus > 2 cm) was statistically significant in terms of predicting local recurrence. Complications were observed in two patients, one with liver abscess and the other with portal venous thrombosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ultrasound-guided RF ablation could be effective and safe in treating incompletely treated HCC after TACE. The diameter of HCC was a significant prognostic factor for local recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Hwasun 519-809, Korea.
authors.forename: Nam Kyu
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Sang Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Jin Woong
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyung Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong Yeon
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Suk Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Jae Kyu
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Heoung Keun
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional