Treatment of small HCC through radiofrequency ablation and laser ablation. Comparison of techniques and long-term results

Abstract

We found LA and RFA to be equally effective. However, RA appears more suited to patients with small HCC nodules and in Child-Pugh class A.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of survival and disease recurrence after radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma

“…Articles excluded after reading full text as failed inclusion/exclusion criteria n = 223 did not report loss to follow-up 37,39,42,43 . Owing to the differences in the nature of the interventions studied in the RCTs, double-blinding was virtually impossible.…”

Recent advances in multidisciplinary management of hepatocellular carcinoma

“…The only randomized prospective study comparing laser ablation with RFA reported no significant difference in overall survival rates, with cumulative rates of 91.8%, 59.0% and 28.4% at one, three and five years respectively, without significant complications. However, a significantly better survival rate was reported for RFA in patients with Child-Pugh A stage disease [52] . Cryoablation uses the extreme cold of liquid nitrogen or argon gas to destroy abnormal tissue [53] .…”

Treating hepatocellular carcinoma without liver transplantation

“…This technique can induce complete necrosis in HCC, but experience with it in HCC treatment is limited. In a trial comparing laser ablation to RFA, both were equally effective, although RFA was better suited to patients with small HCC nodules and in Child-Pugh class A [32]. The role of laser ablation in HCC still needs to be established.…”