To compare the clinical efficacy between radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and surgical resection for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Clinical data of 60 patients with small HCC who were admitted to People's Hospital of Zhengzhou between January 2009 and December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. According to the treatment method, the patients were divided into the RFA group (n=30) and surgical resection group (resection group, n=30). In the RFA group, 20 cases were males and 10 were females, aged 45-76 years old with a median age of 59 years old. In the resection group, 22 cases were males and 8 were females, aged 37-71 years old with a median age of 57 years old. Clinical data during the perioperative period in two groups were compared using t test. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test.

No death was observed in two groups during the perioperative period. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss and postoperative length of hospital stay in the RFA group was respectively (40±12) min, (24±10) ml and (8.7±1.7) d, significantly lower than (132±31) min, (357±138) ml and (16.1±2.6) d in the resection group (t=-6.686, -6.716, -12.926; P<0.05). The maximal difference values of ALT and AST in the RFA group during the perioperative period were respectively (90±24) and (66±18) U/L, significantly lower than (144±35) and (114±34) U/L in the resection group (t=-6.965, -6.711; P<0.05). The postoperative 1-, 2-, 3-year tumor-free survival rate and overall survival rate was respectively 83%, 63%, 43% and 97%, 83%, 63% in the RFA group, and was accordingly 87%, 70%, 50% and 97%, 87%, 70% in the resection group. There were no significant differences in the postoperative tumor-free survival rate and overall survival rate between two groups (χ²=0.052, 0.018; P>0.05).

RFA is a safe, efficacious, minimally invasive and economical treatment for small HCC with the diameter ≤3 cm. It can achieve the similar clinical efficacy as the surgical resection.