Stereotactic body radiotherapy versus radiofrequency ablation as initial treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma

Background/Aim Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) may be an alternative treatment for patients with small (<= 3 cm) hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) who were not indicated for resection or local ablation therapy. This study compared the therapeutic effects of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and SBRT in patients with small (<= 3 cm) HCCs. Methods Data of HCC patients who underwent SBRT or RFA as an initial treatment at four tertiary referral hospitals between March 2011 and February 2017 were reviewed. The patient inclusion criteria were a single nodule measuring <= 3 cm in size and not suitable for resection. Results SBRT and RFA were performed for 72 (SBRT group) and 134 (RFA group) patients, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 97.0%, 80.3%, and 80.3%, respectively, in the SBRT group compared with 98.5%, 83.9%, and 80.8%, respectively, in the RFA group, with no significant differences between the groups (P = 0.81). The estimated five-year local control (LC) rate was 68.1% in the SBRT group and 73.1% in the RFA group (P = 0.81). In the SBRT group analysis, both SBRT alone (n = 34) and SBRT combined with transarterial chemoembolization (n = 38) showed no difference with RFA in OS (P = 0.72 and P = 0.90) or LC rate (P = 0.95 and P = 0.68), respectively. Conclusion SBRT is an effective and safe treatment method for small HCCs, with survival and tumor recurrence rates similar to those of RFA.

Automated summary

This study compared the therapeutic effects of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with small hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), and found no significant differences in overall survival and local control rates between the two treatment methods.