title: Post-recurrence survival in hepatocellular carcinoma after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Overall survival in hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation is influenced by both recurrence and successive treatments. We investigated post-recurrence survival after radiofrequency ablation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on 103 early/intermediate patients initially treated with radiofrequency ablation and followed for a median of 78 months (range 68-82) were retrospectively analysed. If intrahepatic disease recurrence occurred within or contiguous to the previously treated area it was defined as local, otherwise as distant; recurrence classified as Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C was defined by neoplastic portal vein thrombosis or metastases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 103 patients were included (82.5% male; median age 70 years, range 39-86). During follow-up, 64 recurrences were observed. Median overall survival was 62 months (95% confidence interval: 54-78) and survival rates were 97%, 65% and 52% at 1, 4 and 5 years, respectively. Median post-recurrence survival was 22 months (95% confidence interval: 16-35). Child-Pugh score, performance status, sum of tumour diameters at recurrence and recurrence patterns were independent predictors of post-recurrence survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation, clinical and tumour parameters assessed at relapse, in particular the type of recurrence pattern, influence post-recurrence survival.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Italy. Electronic address: antonio.facciorusso@virgilio.it.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Facciorusso
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Del Prete
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antonino
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Crucinio
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Neve
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Leo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry and Tumour Biology, National Institute for Digestive Diseases, IRCCS 'Saverio de Bellis', Castellana Grotte, BA, Italy.
authors.forename: Brian I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: HCC; Liver cancer; PRS; RFA