OBJECTIVETo Compare the therapeutic effects of cryocareTM cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation(RFA), and and microwave coagulation (MCT) in rabbits with VX(2) liver cancer.

METHODSForty-five rabbits with VX(2) liver cancer were randomly and equally allocated into 5 groups to receive treatment with cryocare cryoablation (group A), radiofrequency ablation (group B), microwave coagulation (group C), surgical resection (group D) and control group (group E), respectively. The residual tumor tissues and metastasis (intrahepatic, lung, abdominal lymphoid node, and abdominal implantation) were observed after the treatments, with also detection of soluble interleukin-2 receptor ( sIL-2R) and recording of the survival time of the rabbits.

RESULTSSignificant differences were found in the occurrence of tumor residue (chi(2)=20.700, P=0.0000), intrahepatic metastasis (chi(2)=15.652, P=0.0004), and abdominal implantation tumor (chi(2)=13.894, P=0.0008) between the 5 groups, but not in lung and abdominal lymph node metastasis. sIL-2R levels differed significantly only after but not before the treatments (F=31.58, P=0.000) between groups A to D and group E (t=10.119, P=0.000). The treatments in groups A to D all resulted in prolonged survival of the rabbits as compared with the control (F=73.084, P=0.000), and cryocareTM cryoablation and surgical resection showed similarly better effect than RFA and MCT.

CONCLUSIONCryocare cryoablation can be more effective than RFA and MCT in reducing tumor residue and metastasis and prolonging the survival time of rabbits with VX(2) liver cancer, and RFA and MCT are comparable for their therapeutic effects.