Radiofrequency ablation in the comprehensive treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华肝胆外科杂志

ABSTRACT

With the widely use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the comprehensive treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),both the related basic and clinical research become more and more systematic.Accordingly,its role in the management of such patients is being increasingly definite,mainly including the following aspects:(1) For early HCC (≤3.0 cm) patients,under the premise of individualized strategies,RFA can be used as the first line treatment with the therapeutic efficacy comparable to those of liver resection and transplantation.(2) For selected patients with medium sized (3.1 ～ 5.0 cm) and unresectable HCC lesion,local RFA combined with transarterial embolization can experientially obtain satisfactory outcome.(3) For unresectable solitary large HCC (＞5.0 cm),repeated RFA combined with other local therapeutic tools could get satisfactory therapeutic efficacy.(4) For intrahepatic recurrent HCC,if the number of lesions is limited,RFA can be applied as the treatment of choice in most patients.(5) Emergency RFA is an effective strategy for achieving hemostasis in patients with ruptured HCC,and RFA could maximally eradicate the tumor.(6) For HCC patients awaiting liver transplantation,bridge strategy with RFA debulking may prolong long-term survival.(7) RFA can safely assist liver resection and reduce the bleeding.(8) RFA treatment,especially repeated RFA,can induce positive tumor specific immunoregulation.Taken together,these roles of RFA will help facilitate the transition in the HCC treatment mode.