Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation is superior to hepatic resection in patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the study participants, n (%)

	HR (n = 85)	PRFA (n = 90)	P value
Gender (M/F)	47 (55.3)/38 (44.7)	52 (57.8)/38 (42.2)	0.740
Age (yr)	63.5 ± 7.6	62.8 ± 8.5	0.414
Cirrhosis aetiology			0.915
HCV	58 (68.2)	59 (65.6)
HBV	12 (14.1)	13 (14.4)
Other	15 (17.7)	18 (20)
Platelet count (103/mm3)	125 ± 58	118 ± 62	0.442
Total bilirubin (mg/dL)	1.05 ± 0.49	1.08 ± 0.51	0.692
PT (INR)	1.13 ± 0.06	1.14 ± 0.18	0.627
Albumin (g/dL)	3.87 ± 0.32	4.02 ± 0.40	0.007
AFP (ng/dL)	82.68 ± 7.85	80.24 ± 7.24	0.034
Tumour size (cm)	1.82 ± 0.24	1.76 ± 0.32	0.164
Number of tumours			0.012
1	63 (74.1)	82 (91.2)
2	12 (14.1)	4 (4.4)
≥ 3	10 (11.8)	4 (4.4)
TNM stage			< 0.001
I	61 (71.8)	84 (93.3)
II	24 (28.2)	6 (6.7)
Subcapsular tumour	35 (41.2)	48 (53.3)	0.107
Complications	17 (20)	7 (7.78)	0.033
Postoperative haemorrhage	4 (4.71)	1 (1.11)	0.331
Bile leak	2 (2.35)	1 (1.11)	0.960
Subphrenic collection/abscess	3 (3.53)	1 (1.11)	0.573
Infected ascites	4 (4.71)	2 (2.22)	0.626
Liver failure	1 (1.18)	0 (0)	0.977
Pleural effusion	3 (3.53)	2 (2.22)	0.948
Hospital mortality	0	0	-
Days of hospital stay during initial therapy	9.5 ± 0.3	7.8 ± 0.2	< 0.001

HR: Hepatic resection; PRFA: Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; HBV: Hepatitis B virus; PT: Prothrombin time; INR: International standardised ratio; AFP: Alpha fetoprotein.

Table 2 Univariate logistic regression and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression for recurrence-free survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who received hepatic resection or percutaneous radiofrequency ablation

Variables	Univariate logistic regression	Cox proportional-hazards regression
	P value	Hazard ratio (95%CI)	P value
Albumin (g/dL)	0.018	0.325 (0.109–0.875)	0.020
AFP: normal vs abnormal	0.037	1.658 (1.135–3.258)	0.023
Number of tumours
1		1.000	0.023
2		5.784 (1.387–20.268)	0.015
3		7.458 (0.896–87.257)	0.056
TNM stage	< 0.001
I
II
Days of hospital stay during initial therapy	0.028	1.058 (1.005–1.224)	0.027
HR vs PRFA	0.043	1.045 (0.325–2.838)	0.039

AFP: Alpha fetoprotein; TNM: Tumor Node Metastasis; HR: hepatic resection; PRFA: Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation.

Table 3 Univariate logistic regression and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression for the overall survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who received hepatic resection or percutaneous radiofrequency ablation

Variables	Univariate logistic regression	Cox proportional-hazards regression
	P value	Hazard ratio (95%CI)	P value
Albumin (g/dL)	< 0.001	0.058 (0.008 – 0.425)	0.003
AFP: normal vs abnormal	0.0346	1.647 (1.057 – 3.269)	0.018
Days of hospital stay during initial therapy	0.013	1.325 (1.057 – 1.523)	0.006
HR vs PRFA	0.026	0.114 (0.015 – 0.846)	0.035

AFP: Alpha fetoprotein; HR: Hepatic resection; PRFA: Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation.