Laparoscopic hepatectomy versus radiofrequency ablation in treatment of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: a prospective randomized control study based on interim follow-up analysis

Objective To compare the perioperative and postoperative survival outcomes of laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (RHCC) in order to provide high-level evidence-based medical evidence for the treatment. Methods From September 2016 to September 2017, a total of 80 RHCC patients were prospectively enrolled and randomly assigned to the LH and RFA groups. A prospective randomized controlled study was used to analyze perioperative factors, overall survival and disease-free survival of patients between the 2 groups, and COX proportional risk model was used to analyze the risk factors for postoperative recurrence. Results According to this interim follow-up analysis, there was no significant difference in the overall survival time between the LH group and the RFA group (19.3±6.8 vs 18.6±6.2 months, P=0.293). The 1- and 2-year overall survival rates were 92.3% and 89.7% in the LH group and 85.4% and 80.5% in the RFA group. There was statistical significant difference in disease-free survival time between the LH group and the RFA group (16.4±8.5 vs 8.3±7.2 months, P=0.000). The 1-year and 2-year disease-free survival rates were 69.2% and 51.3% in LH group, and 26.8% and 22.0% in RFA group. COX proportional risk model analysis showed that the surgical procedures and preoperative alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level were the risk factors for re-recurrence. Conclusion Our interim follow-up analysis shows that, in selective RHCC patients, LH has a better 2-year disease-free survival rate than RFA.

Abstract licence: CC BY

A person counts once a day per paper. We keep no cookie and no address: a reader is a hash that changes every day. Any month under five reads shows no number.