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Updated: Nov 15, 2025
Application of Laparoscopic Hepatectomy Combined with Intraoperative Microwave Ablation in Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis
Published on: March 3, 2023
Efficacy of microwave ablation versus radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity score
Kanehiko Suwa1,2, Toshihito Seki3, Kazunori Aoi4,3
1The Third Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kansai Medical University, 2-3-1 Shimmachi, Hirakata, Osaka, 573-1101, Japan. suwakan@takii.kmu.ac.jp.
Purpose:
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and new-generation microwave ablation (MWA) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Methods:
The propensity score matching method was applied to patients with HCC treated with MWA (93 patients) or RFA (156 patients) at a single institution from January 2014 to April 2020. The local tumor progression (LTP), intrahepatic distant recurrence (IDR), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) of the two matched therapies were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify risk factors for LTP and RFS. The therapeutic effects and complications of the two treatments were also compared.
Results:
The LTP, IDR, and RFS of MWA and RFA were equivalent (LTP: hazard ratio [HR] = 0.87; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.36- 2.07; P = 0.746, IDR: HR = 1.03; 95% CI 0.61-1.73; P = 0.890, RFS: HR = 1.15; 95% CI 0.69-1.91; P = 0.566). Para-vessel lesions was the only risk factor for LTP, whereas age, previous treatment, Albumin-Bilirubin score, and tumor diameter were risk factors for RFS. On the other hand, the ablation time per nodule (6.79 ± 2.73 and 9.21 ± 4.90 min; P = 0.008) and number of sessions per nodule required to achieve technical success (1.16 ± 0.39 and 1.34 ± 0.57; P = 0.009) were significantly lower in MWA than in RFA. The major complication rate of MWA and RFA was also equivalent.
Conclusion:
MWA and RFA have similar therapeutic effects and safety, although MWA has advantages over RFA regarding efficacy, including shorter ablation time and fewer sessions required.
