Radiofrequency ablation of colorectal liver metastases: long-term survival?

Open surgical is superior to percutaneous access for radiofrequency ablation of hepatic metastases

PURPOSE

This study was designed to determine the best approach to radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the liver.

METHODS

From a total of 41 procedures, 37 patients with 47 tumors were treated with RFA for metastatic disease. Indications included colorectal cancer (n=28, 68%), neuroendocrine tumors (n=2, 5%), gynecological primaries (n=4, 10%), pancreatic/duodenal cancer (n=2, 5%), and miscellaneous entities (n=5, 12%). Mean follow-up period was 18 (median, 18) months. All ways of approach to RFA were applied: percutaneous was chosen in 17 (41.5%), laparoscopic and hand-assisted laparoscopic in 5 (12.2%), and open surgical in 19 cases (46.3%), and in 10 cases, RFA was combined with hepatic resection. The average maximum tumor size was 2.3 (range, 0.8-6) cm, and the mean number of nodules treated per patient in a single session was 1.3 (range, 1-3).

RESULTS

Overall survival was 59.5% at 2 years, recurrence-free 2-year survival was 12.6%, local tumor recurrence rate was 34%, and overall recurrence was 75.6%. Local tumor recurrence and disease-free survival were significantly improved in the open surgically treated patients compared with the percutaneous treatment group (15.8% [n=3] vs. 58.8% [n=10] and 11.5 vs. 7.9 months, p<0.01 [chi2 test] and p<0.05 [log-rank test], respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Open surgical approach is superior to percutaneous access for RFA in metastatic hepatic disease.