Features of extrahepatic metastasis after radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 2 Characteristics of patients with first recurrence following radiofrequency ablation (n = 333)

	Patients without extrahepatic metastasis(n = 289)	Patients with extrahepatic metastasis(n = 44)	P value
AFP level
Initial (median, range)	8.13 (0.70-30000.0)	21.750 (0.836-13148.0)	0.291
1st recurrence (median, range)	7.08 (0.93-50000.0)	28.15 (0.73-70000.0)	0.274
CTP score, n (%)			0.044
A	277 (95.8)	39 (88.6)
B	12 (4.2)	5 (11.4)
Recurrence free survival, d (median, range)	821 (49-3944)	389 (79-2041)	< 0.001
First recurred site, n (%)			< 0.001
RFA site	53 (18.3)	7 (15.3)
Same hepatic lobe	145 (50.2)	20 (45.5)
Different hepatic lobe	60 (20.8)	8 (18.2)
Both hepatic lobe	31 (10.7)	1 (3.1)
Extrahepatic area	0 (0.0)	8 (18.2)
Peritoneum		5
Lymph nodes		3
mUICC stage at 1st recurrence, n (%)			< 0.001
I	140 (48.4)	17 (38.6)
II	101 (34.9)	13 (29.5)
III	38 (13.1)	4 (9.1)
IVa	5 (1.7)	2 (4.5)
IVb	0 (0.0)	8 (18.2)
Rescue Treatment modalities, n (%)			0.003
TACE	138 (47.7)	15 (34.1)
RFA	110 (38.2)	13 (29.5)
Sorafenib	1 (0.3)	-
Surgery	8 (2.8)	3 (6.8)
Radiotherapy	1 (0.3)	3 (6.8)
Liver transplantation	1 (0.3)	-
TACE	11 (3.8)	3 (6.8)
RFA PEIT	1 (0.3)	-
None	9 (3.1)	5 (11.4)
Follow-up loss	9 (3.1)	2 (4.5)

RFA: Radiofrequency ablation; AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; CTP: Current procedural terminology; mUICC: Modified Union for International Cancer Control; TACE: Transarterial chemoembolization; PEIT: Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy.