The Clinical Study Of The Application Of Radio Frequency Ablation And Operation On The Treatment Of Liver Cancer

Objective: Radio frequency ablation(RFA)has been applied rapidly in treating liver cancer. The research probed into the treatment effect, complications rate, short-term survival and hospitalization expenses of applying RFA to treat liver cancer and compare to which of the operation. Methods: 159 liver cancer patients were included in this study. They were divided into two groups according to the diameters of their tumors and whether their tumors are solo: among the 44 cases in the group of solo tumor with tumour diameters≤4.0cm, 29 cases received operations and 15 received radio frequency treatments; among the 115 cases of the group with tumour diameters >4cm, 54 cases received operations and 61 received radio frequency treatments. The operations were hepatolobectomy, 88 tumours received radio frequency treatment, either percutaneously or intraoperatively under the guidance of ultrasound. The bundled needles were punctured into the center of the tumors and performed multiple radio frequency treatments at different spots, with treatment frequency of 480kHz, treatment time 12 min. Collected pre- and pro-operation data of liver function (ALT, ALB,TB), AFP,complications, hospitalization days and expenses of patients receiving operations and radio frequency treatments respectively; observed changes in radiology; applied life quality score(Quick-FLIC); and correspondence or telephone interviewed patients about short term living rate and quality of living. Differences between the above-mentioned data of patients receiving operations and radio frequency treatments within the two groups were compared.Results: There were liver function damages in both patients receiving operations and patients receiving radio frequency treatments in both groups (ALT and TB)rose, and the rising amount of patients receiving radio frequency treatments was lower than that of those receiving operations; ALB declined, and the declining amount of the patients receiving radio frequency treatments was lower than that of those receiving operations.), but the damaging effect of radio frequency treatment was less severe than operations. There was no significant difference between the AFP changes of patients receiving radio frequency treatment and those receiving operations. Concerning complications, hospitalization days and expenses, situations of patients receiving radio frequency treatments were better than those receiving operations, hi the group of solo tumor with tumor diameters less than 4.0cm, there was no significant difference in short term living rate and quality of living between patients receiving radio frequency treatments and those receiving operations; in the group with tumor diameters >4cm, the short term living rate of patients receiving radio frequency treatments was lower than that of those receiving operations, but their quality of living was better than that of patients receiving operations.Conclusion: For solo-tumor with diameters less than 4.0cm, RFA has ideal short term treatment effect, lower complications rate, lower treatment expenses, higher post-operation quality of living and promising long term treatment effect. For multi-tumors or tumors with diameters > 4cm, there was no evidence to support significant advantage of RFA treatments against operations. However, RFA treatment has lower complications rate and hospitalization expenses, and higher post-operation quality of living.