Comparison of Hepatic Resection Combined with Intraoperative Radiofrequency Ablation, or Hepatic Resection Alone, for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Multifocal Tumors Meeting the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Criteria: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Whether hepatic resection (HR) combined with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or HR alone is the treatment of choice for early or moderately advanced multifocal hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) is a matter of debate. This study compared the short- and long-term outcomes of patients with multifocal tumors meeting the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) criteria after HR plus intraoperative RFA or HR alone.

METHODS: A total of 261 consecutive patients with multifocal HCCs meeting the UCSF criteria from January 2010 to January 2018, who underwent combined treatment (n = 51) or HR (n = 210), were included. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for baseline differences. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were calculated, and subgroup analysis, along with univariate and multivariate analyses, were performed.

RESULTS: The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates after combined treatment or HR alone were 86.3%, 66.6%, and 34.2%, and 92.8%, 67.1%, and 37%, respectively (p = 0.423); combined treatment provided similar RFS rates as HR at 1, 3, and 5 years (78.4%, 35.8% and 20.9% vs. 82.6%, 50.4% and 24.5%, respectively; p = 0.076). The propensity matching model showed similar results. Subgroup analysis showed that HR was associated with better RFS than HR plus RFA for patients with two tumors or major tumors ≤ 3 cm. Multivariate analysis revealed that portal hypertension and three tumors are independent risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS: For multifocal HCC patients meeting the UCSF criteria, combined treatment may offer similar OS and RFS as HR; however, HR may be more suitable than combined treatment for patients with two tumors or major tumors ≤ 3 cm.