title: Radiofrequency ablation combined with transarterial chemoembolization versus hepatectomy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma within Milan criteria: a retrospective case-control study.
abstract: METHODS
  To compare the effectiveness of TACE + RFA with hepatectomy in patients with HCC within Milan criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  It is a retrospective matched case-control study from January 2006 to December 2010 in a tertiary cancer center. 74 patients with HCC within Milan criteria initially treated with TACE + RFA were identified and compared with 148 matched controls selected from a pool of 782 patients who received hepatectomy. Patients were matched with respect to age, gender, tumor size and number, AFP and liver function test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 1, 3, and 5 years overall survival (OS) was 94.6, 75.1 and 55.3%, respectively, in the combination group, and 91.2, 64.4, and 47.7%, respectively, in the hepatectomy group (P = 0.488). The 1, 3, and 5 years disease-free survival (DFS) in the combination group was 87.8, 48.3, and 33.5%, respectively, and 68.9, 49.2, and 40.9%, respectively, in the hepatectomy group (P = 0.619). In subgroups analyses according to the tumor size and number, no significant difference was identified in either OS or DFS for patients with single tumor smaller than 3.0 cm, 3.0-5.0 cm, and multiple tumors. Multivariate analysis showed that tumor size, ALT, and CLIP score were significant prognostic factors for OS, and ALT and Child-Pugh class were significant prognostic factors for DFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TACE + RFA is safe and as effective as hepatectomy for patients with HCC within Milan criteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China.|State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bholee
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.|Department of Radiology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China.|State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China.|State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China.|State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China. zhyaojun@mail.sysu.edu.cn.|State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China. zhyaojun@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China. Chminsh@mail.sysu.edu.cn.|State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China. Chminsh@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000401:mortality*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000401:mortality*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Hepatectomy; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Radiofrequency ablation; Recurrence; Survival; Transarterial chemoembolization