Radiofrequency ablation versus cryosurgery ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis

To investigate the meta-analysis of the effect between radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cryosurgery ablation (CSA) in treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Systematic literature search of relevant clinical studies was carried out in Pubmed, Embase, Google Scholar, the Cochrane Library Central databases and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases. Data were ed independently by two reviewers. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated.

Primary outcomes were the mortality, complication and local recurrence. Three prospective study and one retrospective studies were finally eligible for meta-analysis, involving a total of 433 HCC patients (180 with RFA and 253 with CSA). RFA was significantly superior to CSA in complication (OR: 2.80, 95% CI: 1.54-5.09); local recurrence of patient (OR: 4.02, 95% CI: 1.93-8.39); local recurrence of tumor (OR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.12-3.42). No significant difference was found in mortality (OR: 2.21, 95% CI: 0.45-10.8) between RFA and CSF.

Although multiple confounders exist in the clinical trials especially the bias in patient selection, RFA was significantly superior to CSA in the treatment of HCC.