Efficacy and Safety of Combined Transcather Arterial Chemoembolization and Radiofrequency Ablation for Patients with Early Stage (BCLC A) Hepatocellular Carcinoma = Efficacy and Safety of Combined Transcather Arterial Chemoembolization and Radiofrequency Ablation for Patients with Early Stage (BCLC A) Hepatocellular Carcinoma

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Background/Aims: Surgical resection or ablation is recommended for treatment of early HCC. However, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization( TACE) is frequently used for this group due to various reasons. We evaluated the clinical effect and safety of radiofrequency ablation( RFA) shortly after TACE in patients who failed to achieve complete response to TACE.
Methods: A total of 67 cases of BCLC stage A HCC patients who failed to achieve complete response to TACE as a first treatment and followed by RFA are included from 2005 to 2013 at the Konkuk University Hospital. The evaluation indices included treatment response, overall survival rate, recurrence-free survival and the procedure- related complications.
Results: Median follow up was 36.6 months. The Child-pugh classification was A in 54 (80.6%), and B in 13 (19.4%) patients. The modified UICC stage was I in 10 (14.9%) patients, II in 46 (68.7%) patients, and III in 11 (16.4%) patients. The cumulative recurrence-free survival rates were 86.8%, 55.9% and 29.7% at 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. The overall survival rates were 100%, 93.4% and 83.5% at 1, 3 and 5 years, respectively. Complications were observed in one patients, right inguinal hematoma. There was no treatment-related mortality.
Conclusions: RFA is an efficient and safe treatment for patients with early stage HCC patients who failed to achieve complete response to TACE. Combined TACE plus RFA could be considered as a curative option for patients ineligible for surgery or immediate RFA.