Long-term efficacy of microwave ablation in the treatment of subcapsular hepatocellular carcinomas of ≤3 cm in diameter: a multicenter, propensity score-matched study

• Published in: International journal of hyperthermia Vol. 39; no. 1; pp. 209 - 216
• Main Authors: Yao, Jundong, Liu, Binbin, Wang, Xiaohui, Yu, Jie, Cheng, Zhigang, Han, Zhiyu, Liu, Fangyi, Zheng, Rongqin, Cheng, Wen, Wei, Qiang, Yu, Songyuan, Li, Kai, Chen, Peng, Luo, Yanchun, Yu, Xiaoling, Liang, Ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 31.12.2022; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - diagnostic imaging; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - surgery; Catheter Ablation; Female; hepatocellular carcinoma; Humans; Liver Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Liver Neoplasms - surgery; Male; Microwave ablation; Microwaves - therapeutic use; Middle Aged; Propensity Score; propensity score matching; Retrospective Studies; subcapsular; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult; Microwave ablation; propensity score matching; subcapsular; hepatocellular carcinoma
• ISSN: 0265-6736; 1464-5157
• DOI: 10.1080/02656736.2021.2023228

To compare the long-term efficacy of microwave ablation (MWA) for subcapsular and non-subcapsular hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) using propensity score matching (PSM). Using a multicenter database, we enrolled 430 patients (347 men, 83 women; age range, 15-71 years) with HCCs who received percutaneous ultrasound-guided MWA, between January 2012 and December 2018. The patients were grouped as follows, based on whether the tumor was adjacent to the capsule: subcapsular group (n = 142) and non-subcapsular group (n = 142). To evaluate the correlation between subcapsular position and efficacy of MWA, a Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) based on PSM data. In total, 142 pairs of patients were matched. In the PSM cohort, the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year DFS rates of the subcapsular and non-subcapsular groups were 84%, 61%, and 47%, respectively, and 85%, 67%, and 58%, respectively, while the 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS rates were 98%, 90%, and 84%, respectively, and 98%, 90%, and 88%, respectively. In the PSM cohort, subcapsular position was not an independent risk factor for DFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.291, p = 0.196) or OS (HR = 0.926, p = 0.866). Additionally, there were no significant differences in the incidence of local tumor progression, major complications, technical success rate, number of puncture needles, and postoperative hospital stay between the two groups (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in DFS, OS, incidence of local tumor progression, and major complications between patients with subcapsular and non-subcapsular HCCs treated with MWA.