Comparison of hepatic resection and radiofrequency ablation for small hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis of 16,103 patients.
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ABSTRACT: We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the therapeutic effects of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and surgical hepatic resection (HR) in the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Thirty-one studies were included in the analysis. A total of 16,103 patients were involved: 8,252 treated with RFA and 7,851 with HR. Compared to the RFA group, the 3, 5-year overall and disease-free survival rates in the HR group were significantly higher. On the other hand, complications were significantly fewer and hospital-stay was significantly shorter in the RFA group than in the HR group. In subgroup analyses, the overall and disease-free survival in the HR group were also significantly higher than those in the RFA group for HCCs ≤ 3 cm, whereas there were no significant differences between the two groups for HCCs ≤ 2 cm. Our analysis showed that although HR was associated with higher complication rate and longer hospital-stay, HR is proposed as the first-line treatment rather than RFA for patients with HCCs larger than 2 cm. For patients with HCCs of 2 cm or less, RFA may be an alternative to HR because of their comparable long-term efficacy.
SUBMITTER: Xu Q
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4246212 | biostudies-other | 2014
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
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