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Comparative Study
. 2013 Aug;15(8):567-73.
doi: 10.1111/hpb.12025. Epub 2012 Dec 4.

Survival analysis of high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation in patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma

Tan To Cheung  1 , Sheung Tat Fan, Ferdinand S K Chu, Caroline R Jenkins, Kenneth S H Chok, Simon H Y Tsang, Wing Chiu Dai, Albert C Y Chan, See Ching Chan, Thomas C C Yau, Ronnie T P Poon, Chung Mau Lo
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Survival analysis of high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation in patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma

Tan To Cheung et al. HPB (Oxford). 2013 Aug.

Abstract

Background: High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation is a non-invasive treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). At present, data on the treatment's long-term outcome are limited. This study analysed the survival outcome of HIFU ablation for HCCs smaller than 3 cm.

Patients and methods: Forty-seven patients with HCCs smaller than 3 cm received HIFU treatment between October 2006 and September 2010. Fifty-nine patients who received percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) were selected for comparison. The two groups of patients were compared in terms of pre-operative variables and survival.

Results: More patients in the HIFU group patients had Child-Pugh B cirrhosis (34% versus 8.5%; P = 0.001). The 1- and 3-year overall survival rates of patients whose tumours were completely ablated in the HIFU group compared with the RFA group were 97.4% versus 94.6% and 81.2% versus 79.8%, respectively (P = 0.530). The corresponding 1- and 3-year disease-free survival rates were 63.6% versus 62.4% and 25.9% versus 34.1% (P = 0.683).

Conclusions: HIFU ablation is a safe and effective method for small HCCs. It can achieve survival outcomes comparable to those of percutaneous RFA and thus serves as a good alternative ablation treatment for patients with cirrhosis.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Comparison of overall survival
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of disease-free survival
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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