• Y Liu, Y Zheng, S Li, B Li, Y Zhang, and Y Yuan.
• State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China and Department of Hepatobiliary Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
• Clin Radiol. 2013 Jan 1; 68 (1): 21-6.

AimTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) in patients with larger hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumours.Materials And MethodsEighty HCC patients with the maximum tumour measuring between 3 and 8 cm were treated using MWA. Of these patients, 57 had initial HCC, while 23 had recurrent HCC. Fifty-two patients had a main tumour measuring 3-5 cm, and 28 had a main tumour measuring 5-8 cm. Local tumour control, complications, long-term survival, and prognostic factors were analysed.ResultsComplete ablation after the initial treatment was achieved in 70 of 80 (87.5%) patients. Sixteen of the 72 (22.2%) successfully treated patients developed local recurrence. Major complications occurred in 7.5% patients. No procedure-related mortality was observed. The 1, 2, 3, and 5 year overall survival rates after the initial ablation were 81.1, 68.2, 56.5, and 34.6%, with a median survival of 56 months. Univariate analysis revealed that small tumour size (p = 0.003) and pre-ablation α-foetoprotein (AFP) level ≤400 ng/ml (p = 0.042) were favourable prognostic factors of overall survival. Multivariate analysis identified only tumour size as the independent prognosis factor (p = 0.008).ConclusionPercutaneous MWA is effective and safe for treating larger HCC tumours. The local tumour control and long-term survival are acceptable.Copyright © 2012 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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