Single-centre retrospective review of risk factors for local tumour progression and complications in radiofrequency ablation of 555 hepatic lesions.

Jasmine Ming Er Chua; Yu Ming Paul Lam; Bien Soo Tan; Kiang Hiong Tay; Apoorva Gogna; Farah Gillan Irani; Hoau Gong Richard LO; Chow Wei Too

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Single-centre retrospective review of risk factors for local tumour progression and complications in radiofrequency ablation of 555 hepatic lesions.

Author: Jasmine Ming Er CHUA ¹ ; Yu Ming Paul LAM ² ; Bien Soo TAN ¹ ; Kiang Hiong TAY ¹ ; Apoorva GOGNA ¹ ; Farah Gillan IRANI ¹ ; Hoau Gong Richard LO ¹ ; Chow Wei TOO ¹
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1. Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
2. Faculty of Medicine, Baringa Private Hospital, Coffs Harbour, Australia.
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: complication; liver tumours; local tumour progression; radiofrequency ablation
From:Singapore medical journal 2019;60(4):188-192
CountrySingapore
Language:English
Abstract: INTRODUCTION:This study aimed to assess safety, local tumour progression (LTP) and risk factors for LTP after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of liver tumours in a single centre.
METHODS:All consecutive patients treated with RFA for liver tumours between January 2009 and October 2012 were included. Previously treated lesions that progressed were excluded. Using electronic medical records, the following data was captured: patient demographics, pre-procedural laboratory results, Child-Pugh status, tumour characteristics, development of tumoral seeding, RFA complications and LTP. Possible risk factors for LTP were identified using Cox regression.
RESULTS:In total, 555 liver tumours were treated in 337 patients. 483 (87.0%) hepatocellular carcinomas, 52 (9.4%) colorectal metastases and 20 (3.6%) other tumour types were treated. Mean tumour size was 2.1 ± 1.1 (range 0.4-6.8) cm. Mean follow-up duration was 387 days. 416 (75.0%) lesions had no LTP at the last imaging. 70 (12.6%) patients had minor complications requiring observation, while 7 (1.3%) patients had significant complications requiring prolonged hospitalisation or further interventions. Only one case of tumour seeding was detected. Using multivariate Cox regression, the following factors were statistically significant in predicting LTP: hilar location (relative ratio [RR] 3.988), colorectal metastases (RR 2.075), size (RR 1.290) and younger age (RR 0.982).
CONCLUSION:RFA of liver tumours is safe and effective, with a low significant complication rate of 1.3%. Hilar lesions are most prone to LTP, followed by lesions that were larger in size and colorectal metastases. 75.0% of patients showed no LTP at the last follow-up.