Published online Dec 28, 2015. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i48.13490
Peer-review started: July 7, 2015
First decision: August 2, 2015
Revised: August 16, 2015
Accepted: November 19, 2015
Article in press: November 19, 2015
Published online: December 28, 2015
Processing time: 171 Days and 20.2 Hours
AIM: To compare therapeutic outcomes and adverse events in initial solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and CyberKnife®.
METHODS: Seventy three consecutive patients with initial solitary HCC treated with RFA (38 patients; RFA group) and CyberKnife® (35 patients; CK group) were enrolled in this study. Background factors were compared between the two groups. Local and intrahepatic distant recurrence control, and cumulative survival rates were compared between the two groups. These were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the significance of differences was analyzed by log-rank test. The presence of more grade 3 on CTCAE ver. 4.0 early and late adverse events was investigated.
RESULTS: In background factors, age was significantly higher (P = 0.005) and the tumor diameter was significantly larger (P = 0.001) in the CK group. The 1-year local recurrence control rates were 97.4% and 97.1% in the RFA and CK groups, respectively (P = 0.71); the 1-year intrahepatic distant recurrence control rates were 85.6% and 86.1%, respectively (P = 0.91); and the 1-year cumulative survival rates were 100% and 95.2%, respectively (P = 0.075), showing no significant difference in any rate between the two groups. There were no late adverse event in the RFA group, but 11.4% in the CK group had late adverse events. In the CK group, the Child-Pugh score at 12 mo after treatment was significantly higher than that in the RFA group (P = 0.003) and significantly higher than the score before treatment (P = 0.034).
CONCLUSION: The occurrence of adverse events is a concern, but CyberKnife® treatment is likely to become an important option for local treatment of early HCC.
Core tip: To compare therapeutic outcomes and adverse events in initial solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA; 38 patients) or CyberKnife® (35 patients). The 1-year local recurrence control, the 1-year intrahepatic distant recurrence control and the 1-year cumulative survival rates were no significant difference in any rate between the two groups. In the CyberKnife® group, the Child-Pugh score at 12 mo after treatment was significantly higher than that in the RFA group and significantly higher than the score before treatment. The occurrence of adverse events is a concern, but CyberKnife® is likely to become an important option for local treatment of early HCC.