title: Combination therapy of chemoembolization and radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma in the caudate lobe.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical utility of radiofrequency (RF) ablation combined with chemoembolization in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) located in the caudate lobe.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between September 2000 and October 2011, 20 consecutive patients with single HCC measuring≤5 cm were treated with combination therapy of chemoembolization and RF ablation. Technical success was defined as completion of a planned electrode placement and ablation protocol. The effectiveness of the technique was defined as disappearance of tumor enhancement with an ablative margin of≥5 mm. Technical success, technique effectiveness, local tumor progression, overall and recurrence-free survival, and complications were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RF electrodes were placed in planned sites of each tumor, and ablation was complete in all patients (technical success rate 100%). Tumor enhancement disappeared with sufficient ablative margins after 20 RF sessions in all patients (technique effectiveness rate 100%). Major and minor complication rates were 10.0% and 15.0%. Local tumor progression was found in 2 of 20 patients (10.0%) with local tumor progression rates of 6.3% at 1 year and 13.5% at 3 years and 5 years. Six patients died during the follow-up period (mean, 40.0 months; range, 2.0-110.5 months). Overall and recurrence-free survival rates were 94.4% and 70.8% at 1 year, 86.6% and 36.9% at 3 years, and 67.5% and 45.5% at 5 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RF ablation combined with chemoembolization is a safe and useful therapeutic option to treat HCCs located in the caudate lobe.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Mie University School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujimori
authors.forename: Haruyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takaki
authors.forename: Atsuhiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakatsuka
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Uraki
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiraki
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takei
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamakado
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006490:Hemostatics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006490:Hemostatics