• Peng S Koh, Albert C Y Chan, Tan T Cheung, Kenneth S H Chok, Wing C Dai, Ronnie T P Poon, and Chung M Lo.
• Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• HPB (Oxford). 2016 Jan 1; 18 (1): 72-8.

BackgroundThis study aims to assess if radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has any oncological superiority over transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) on post-hepatectomy recurrence.MethodologyFrom 2002 to 2011, 60.15% of 823 patients developed recurrence after hepatectomy for Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). 102 patients with recurrence underwent RFA (n = 42) or TACE (n = 60) for tumor size ≤5 cm and number of lesion ≤3 when tumors were not resectable or transplantable. Those with renal impairment, portal vein thrombosis and poor liver reserve were excluded. Primary outcome was overall survival, which was determined using log-rank test and Kaplan Meier plots performed. Categorical data were analyzed using Chi-square test and continuous variable were analyzed using Mann-U Whitney test.ResultsDemographics and primary tumor characteristics were similar in both groups (p > 0.05). Overall survival after initial hepatectomy and salvage treatment for recurrence was similar (p > 0.05) in both groups with 5-year OS after salvage treatment for RFA and TACE at 24.1% and 25.7%, respectively. For patients with second recurrence after salvage treatment, an interchangeable treatment strategy of RFA and TACE conferred a better survival outcome than a stand-alone treatment with RFA or TACE (p < 0.05).ConclusionsRFA and TACE may be equally effective for intrahepatic recurrence after hepatectomy when tumor size is ≤5 cm and ≤3 lesion when re-resection or salvage transplantation is not considered feasible.Copyright © 2015 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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