title: Microwave ablation for hepatic malignancies: a call for standard reporting and outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical standards of reporting microwave ablation outcomes have not been defined with regard to ablation success, 90-day morbidity, local recurrence after ablation, and nonablation hepatic recurrence. We propose recommendations for microwave ablation reporting and quality standards.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature review of clinical studies focusing on microwave ablation of primary and metastatic hepatic tumors was reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ablation success remains the highest quality reporting standard with variations in nomenclature, but with a universal agreement of complete destruction of the target lesion within 1 month after initial microwave ablation. Local recurrence after ablation remains highly variable, with reports as low as 2.2% to as high as 22%; standards lack a common, clearly defined distance from the initial target ablated lesion and the requirement that the target lesion be defined as an ablation success before it can be called a recurrence. Nonablation hepatic recurrence, nonhepatic recurrence, and 90-day morbidity and mortality remain limited in the current literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Standardization of hepatic microwave ablation reporting standards are proposed. Current reporting standards in microwave ablation of hepatic malignancies are suboptimal and lack standardization for comparison across institutions.
authors: Department of Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
authors: Durham A
authors: DA
authors: North
authors: Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors: Ryan T
authors: RT
authors: Groeschl
authors: Department of General Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Sindram
authors: Department of General Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA.
authors: John B
authors: JB
authors: Martinie
authors: Department of General Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC, USA.
authors: David A
authors: DA
authors: Iannitti
authors: Department of Surgery, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Bloomston
authors: Department of Surgery, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors: Carl
authors: C
authors: Schmidt
authors: Department of Radiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors: William S
authors: WS
authors: Rilling
authors: Department of Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
authors: Thomas Clark
authors: TC
authors: Gamblin
authors: Department of Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA. Electronic address: Robert.Martin@louisville.edu.
authors: Robert C G
authors: RC
authors: Martin
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008872:Microwaves / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Microwave ablation; Morbidity; Quality; Recurrence; Reporting standards