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A Retrospective Comparison of Microwave Ablation vs. Radiofrequency Ablation for Colorectal Cancer Hepatic Metastases

  • Hepatobiliary Tumors
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Microwave (MWA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) are the most commonly used techniques for ablating colorectal-liver metastases (CRLM). The technical and oncologic differences between these modalities are unclear.

Methods

We conducted a matched-cohort analysis of patients undergoing open MWA or RFA for CRLM at a tertiary-care center between 2008 and 2011; the primary endpoint was ablation-site recurrence. Tumors were matched by size, clinical-risk score, and arterial-intrahepatic or systemic chemotherapy use. Outcomes were compared using conditional logistic regression and stratified log-rank test.

Results

We matched 254 tumors (127 per group) from 134 patients. MWA and RFA groups were comparable by age, gender, median number of tumors treated, proximity to major vessels, and postoperative complication rates. Patients in the MWA group had lower ablation-site recurrence rates (6% vs. 20%; P < 0.01). Median follow-up, however, was significantly shorter in the MWA group (18 months [95% confidence interval 17–20] vs. 31 months [95% confidence interval 28–35]; P < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier estimates of ablation-site recurrence at 2 years were significantly lower for the lesions treated with MWA (7% vs. 18%, P: 0.01).

Conclusions

Ablation-site recurrences of CRLM were lower with MWA compared with RFA in this matched cohort analysis. Longer follow-up time in the MWA may increase the recurrence rate; however, actuarial local failure estimations demonstrated better local control with MWA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Camilo Correa-Gallego MD, Yuman Fong MD, Michael I. D’Angelica MD, Peter J. Allen MD, Ronald P. DeMatteo MD, William R. Jarnagin MD & T. Peter Kingham MD

  2. Department of Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Mithat Gonen PhD

Authors
  1. Camilo Correa-Gallego MD
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  2. Yuman Fong MD
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  3. Mithat Gonen PhD
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  4. Michael I. D’Angelica MD
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  5. Peter J. Allen MD
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  6. Ronald P. DeMatteo MD
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  7. William R. Jarnagin MD
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  8. T. Peter Kingham MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Peter Kingham MD.

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Correa-Gallego, C., Fong, Y., Gonen, M. et al. A Retrospective Comparison of Microwave Ablation vs. Radiofrequency Ablation for Colorectal Cancer Hepatic Metastases. Ann Surg Oncol 21, 4278–4283 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-014-3817-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-014-3817-0

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