Repeat hepatic resection versus radiofrequency ablation for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: retrospective multicentre study

• Published in: British journal of surgery 2022-01, Vol.109 (1), p.71-78
• Main Authors: Zhong, J-H, Xing, B-C, Zhang, W-G, Chan, A W-H, Chong, C C N, Serenari, M, Peng, N, Huang, T, Lu, S-D, Liang, Z-Y, Huo, R-R, Wang, Y-Y, Cescon, M, Liu, T-Q, Li, L, Wu, F-X, Ma, L, Ravaioli, M, Neri, J, Cucchetti, A, Johnson, P J, Li, L-Q, Xiang, B-D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - surgery; Disease-Free Survival; Female; Hepatectomy - adverse effects; Humans; Liver Neoplasms - surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - surgery; Radiofrequency Ablation - adverse effects; Retrospective Studies; Survival Analysis; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1365-2168
• DOI: 10.1093/bjs/znab340

The therapeutic value of repeat hepatic resection (rHR) or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of rHR or RFA. This was a retrospective multicentre study of patients with recurrent HCC within the Milan criteria who underwent rHR or RFA at nine university hospitals in China and Italy between January 2003 and January 2018. Survival after rHR or RFA was examined in unadjusted analyses and after propensity score matching (1 : 1). Of 847 patients included, 307 and 540 underwent rHR and RFA respectively. Median overall survival was 73.5 and 67.0 months after rHR and RFA respectively (hazard ratio 1.01 (95 per cent c.i. 0.81 to 1.26)). Median recurrence-free survival was longer after rHR versus RFA (23.6 versus 15.2 months; hazard ratio 0.76 (95 per cent c.i. 0.65 to 0.89)). These results were confirmed after propensity score matching. RFA was associated with lower morbidity of grade 3 and above (0.6 versus 6.2 per cent; P