Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma,
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- Category: Vol. 84, March 2016
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Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, AMR M. HELMY and AHMED K. EL-DORRY
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a major health problem being the 6th most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Percu-taneous image-guided Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) has received an increasing attention as a promising technique for treatment of liver tumors.
Objectives: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of RFA in the treatment of HCC.
Study Design: Prospective study.
Patients and Methods: Included sixty patients with HCC. They were assigned according to child-pugh score into two groups; (Group I) included 40 patients with child B liver cirrhosis and (Group II) included 20 patients with child A liver cirrhosis. Pretreatment assessment was done to all patients through complete clinical examination, laboratory investiga-tions and radiological investigations including (abdominal ultrasound and triphasic spiral CT abdomen). Patients were treated by RFA. Post RFA assessment and follow-up was done through complete clinical examination, laboratory and radio-logical investigations every 3 months for 18 months.
Results: The results of this study showed that the disease-free 3-, 15-, and 18-months survival rates in Group I were 100%, 80% and 75%, respectively while those in Group II were 100%, 95% and 80%, respectively with statistically insignificant difference between both groups (p>0.05). The disease free survival rate of RFA was inversely correlated with the Barcelona staging of HCC. The post RFA complication rate was (10%) and the mortality rate was (3.3%). The inci-dence of complications was inversely correlated with child-pugh stage of liver cirrhosis.
Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that, RFA is an effective and relatively safe therapeutic modality for HCC tumors less than 3cm in diameter with a better outcome and low incidence of complications among patients with early stage of liver cirrhosis and early HCC stage.