Outcomes of microwave versus radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Table 1 Summary of patient characteristics of included randomised controlled trials and cohort studies

Ref.	Design	Country	Year	Arms	NP	Age/yr	% males	NL	Tumour size, mean or median (range or SD)/mm	CPC (A/B/C)	F/U Duration/mo
Abdelaziz et al[72], 2014	RCT	Egypt	2009-2011	MWA	66	53.6 (48.6-58.6)	72.7	76	29 (19.3-38.7)	25/41/0	NR
				RFA	45	56.8 (49.5-64.1)	68.9	52	29.5 (19.2-39.8)	24/21/0
Chong et al[34], 2020	RCT	Hong Kong	2011-2017	MWA	47	63 (50–80)	63.8	NR	31 (20–45)	39/7/1	38.3 (2.3–78.0)
				RFA	46	64.5 (42–5)	82.6		28 (20–55)	40/6/0	33.9 (4.9–72.7)
Kamal et al[35], 2019	RCT	Egypt	2017	MWA	28	55 (42-80)	75	34	32.5 (23.3-41.7)	22/6/0	12
				RFA	28	55 (42-80)	78.6	34	32.8 (23.7-41.9)	22/6/0	12
Qian et al[36], 2012	RCT	China	2009-2010	MWA	22	52 (43–75)	90.9	22	21 (17-25)	22/0/0	5.1 ± 1.3 (2.8-6.5)
				RFA	20	56 (43–76)	95	20	20 (15-25)	20/0/0	5.1 ± 1.3 (2.8-6.5)
Shibata et al[23], 2002	RCT	Japan	1999-2000	MWA	36	62.5 (52–74)	66.7	46	22 (9–34)	19/17/0	18 (6-27)
				RFA	36	63.6 (44–83)	72.7	48	23 (10–37)	21/15/0	18 (6-27)
Tian et al[37], 2014	RCT	China	2014	MWA	120	NR	NR	86	26 (13-39)	NR	NR
				RFA				79	22 (13-31)
Vietti et al[38], 2018	RCT	France & Switzerland	2011-2015	MWA	76	NR	NR	98	NR	NR	26 (18-29)
				RFA	76			104			25 (18-34)
Yu et al[22], 2017	RCT	China	2008-2015	MWA	203	NR	NR	265	27 (7– 50)	NR	35.2 (2.0–81.9)
				RFA	200			251	26 (9–50)		35.2 (2.0–81.9)
Abdel-Samiee et al[33], 2020	Retro	Egypt	2020	MWA	50	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	36
				RFA	50						36
Bouda et al[39], 2020	Retro	France	2008-2016	MWA	79	62.8 (52.4-73.2)	81	99	21.3 (13-29.6)	71/8/0	34 (3–65)
				RFA	43	62.2 (50.3-74.1)	76.7	52	23.0 (14.9-31.1)	39/4/0	40 (5–126)
Chinnaratha et al[40], 2014	Retro	Australia	2006-2012	MWA	101	62.1 (51.7-72.5)	98	NR	21.1 (10.9-31.3)	92/23/2	36
				RFA	25	62.1 (51.7-72.5)	98		21.1 (10.9-31.3)		36
Cillo et al[41], 2014	Pros/Retro	Italy	2004-2010	MWA	42	64 (47–81)	83	50	NR		24
				RFA	100	63 (34–81)	83	NR			24
Ciruolo et al[42], 2020	Retro	Italy	2013-2019	MWA	NR	64	71.7	78	NR	NR	NR
				RFA				172
Ding et al[43], 2013	Retro	China	2006-2010	MWA	113	59.06 (30–86)	75.2	131	25.5 (8–50)	75/38/0	18.3 (3–51.4)
				RFA	85	58.64 (40–77)	80	98	23.8 (10–48)	49/36/0	27.7 (4–60)
Du et al[44], 2020	Retro	China	2014-2016	MWA	218	56.3 (46.3-66.3)	80	136	24 (13-35)	107/8/0	28 (15-51)
				RFA	234	57.5 (48-67)	76.5	137	26 (15-37)	105/10/0
Gaia et al[45], 2021	Retro	Italy	2013-2019	MWA	81	67 (57–73)	76.5	77	29 (20–35)	71/10/0	20.4 (10.8-38.4)
				RFA	170	63 (56–72)	69.4	169	20 (15–25)	148/22/0	34.8 (19.2–51.6)
Ghweil et al[46], 2019	Pros	Egypt	2019	MWA	25	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
				RFA	30
Iida et al[47], 2013	Retro	Japan	2001-2012	MWA	40	70.1 (63.5-76.7)	NR	NR	20 (11-29)	NR	NR
				RFA	18	73.5 (69.5-77.5)			21 (16-26)
Ding et al[48], 2013	Retro	China	2002-2011	MWA	556	58.4 (48.1-68.7)	74.8	1090	23 (12-34)	466/167/22	(6-75)
				RFA	323	58 (47.8-68.3)	79.8	562	22.8 (11.7-33.9)	248/106/22	(6-75)
Kuang et al[49], 2011	Pros	China	1997-2008	MWA	19	55 (27-74)	94	NR	NR	77/4 /0	45 (24-155)
				RFA	31
Kumbar et al[50], 2018	Retro	India	2018	MWA	25	(40-85)	92	33	NR	13/8/4	15
				RFA	25		88	35		17/8/0
Lee et al[51], 2017	Retro	Hong Kong	2003-2011	MWA	26	62.5 (49-79)	73.1	28	37.5 (20-60)	23/3/0	47.5 (11.3-62.5)
				RFA	47	58 (43-77)	85.1	52	31 (20-60)	42/5/0	52.9 (3.6-121.8)
Liu et al[52], 2018	Retro	China	2002-2017	MWA	126	54 (45, 60)	90.5	162	22.5 (17, 29)	NR	36.8 (1-115)
				RFA	436	56 (46, 65)	89.7	482	23.0 (18, 30)		34.1 (1-171)
Loriaud et al[53], 2018	Retro	France & Switzerland	2007-2015	MWA	NR	69 (61–75)	92.5	40	22.5 (10–47)	40/0/0	28 (10-46)
				RFA		67 (58-74)	85.8	120	21.3 (10-46)	111/9/0
Lu et al[54], 2005	Retro	China	1997-2002	MWA	49	50.1 (24–74)	89.8	98	25 (9–72)	22/27/0	25.1 (2.0–50.6)
				RFA	53	54.5 (20–74)	81.1	72	26 (10–61)	47/6/0	24.8 (2.0–51.0)
Mocan et al[55], 2017	Retro	Romania	2010-2016	MWA	NR	NR	NR	22	NR	NR	12 (5.6-18.4)
				RFA				79			22.8 (7.8-37.4)
Nocerino et al[56], 2016	Retro	Italy	2016	MWA	106	NR	NR	134	20.4 (11-37)	NR	12 (5.6-18.4)
				RFA	27			35	20.1 (7-34)		22.8 (7.8-37.4)
Ohmoto et al[57], 2008	Retro	Japan	2002-2006	MWA	49	64 (38–75)	83.7	56	17 (8–20)	31/14/4	33.5 (9.8-57.2)
				RFA	34	67 (44–78)	73.5	37	16 (7–20)	20/11/3	25.9 (14.6-37.2)
Potretzke et al[58], 2016	Retro	US	2001-2013	MWA	99	61 (44–82)	81.8	136	22 (20–23)	NR	24
				RFA	55	62 (23–88)	72.7	69	24 (22–26)		31
Sakaguchi et al[59], 2009	Pros	Japan	2009	MWA	142	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR
				RFA	249
Santambrogio et al[60], 2017	Retro	Italy	2009-2015	MWA	60	70 (61.7-78.3)	72	NR	21.5 (16.2-26.8)	60/0/0	31 (15–46)
				RFA	94	69 (60-78)	73		19.2 (14.2-24.2)	94/0/0
Sever et al[61], 2018	Retro	Turkey	2012-2015	MWA	20	63.6 (57.3-69.9)	65	37	28 (18-38)	14/4/2	12 (1-40)
				RFA	20	64.3 (55.3-73.3)	70	34	24 (13-35)	11/4/5
Shum et al[62], 2016	Retro	Hong Kong	2014-2015	MWA	22	NR	NR	NR	NR	NR	19
				RFA	44						18
Simo et al[63], 2011	Retro	US	2006-2008	MWA	13	59.6 (49–72)	54	15	23.1 (14–39)	12/7/3	7 (2.5–10.5)
				RFA	22	58 (45–79)	86	27	25.3 (12–44)	7/6/0	19 (1.5–31)
Suwa et al[64], 2021	Retro	Japan	2014-2020	MWA	72	74.9 (66.5-83.3)	65.3	NR	17.7 (10.9-24.5)	58/14/0	12
				RFA	72	74.4 (65.2-83.6)	68.1	NR	17.6 (11.3-23.9)	61/11/0	37.8
Suwa et al[65], 2020	Retro	Japan	2016-2019	MWA	44	73.4 (65.7-81.1)	68	52	17.2 (12.3-22.1)	12/3/29	NR
				RFA	55	73.4 (65.7-81.1)	80	70	17.7 (11.3-24.1)	16/8/31
Vogl et al[66], 2015	Retro	Egypt	2008-2010	MWA	28	60 (45-68)	82.1	32	36 (9-50)	NR	NR
				RFA	25	57 (40-64)	76	36	32 (8-45)
Xu et al[67], 2004	Retro	China	1997-2001	MWA	54	53.4 (24–74)	86.6	112	25 (15-36)	53/33/11	27.4 (2–53)
				RFA	43			78	26 (12-40)
Xu et al[68], 2017	Retro	China	2007-2012	MWA	301	54.2 (43.2-65.2)	78.1	NR	17 (14-20)	278/23/0	53 (8–98)
				RFA	159	54.0 (43-65)	83		17 (14-20)	140/19/0	62 (6–102)
Yin et al[69], 2009	Retro	China	1997-2007	MWA	49	53 (41-65)	87.2	NR	39 (31-47)	NR	22 (2.2-93.5)
				RFA	59
Zhang et al[70], 2013	Retro	China	2006	MWA	77	54 (26–76)	70.2	105	NR	77/0/0	24.5 (6–64)
				RFA	78	54 (30–80)	82.1	93		78/0/0	26.3 (7–65.6)
Zhang et al[71], 2014	Pros	China	2014	MWA	45	NR	NR	60	NR	NR	NR
				RFA	56			68

CPC: Child Pugh Score; MWA: Microwave ablation; NP: Number of patients; NL: Number of lesions, NR: Not reported; RFA: Radiofrequency ablation.