Table 4. Results of the meta-analysis for LR vs RFA in treatment of CLM.

Variables	Time interval	Subgroups	Nsuvival/NLR	Nsuvival/NRFA	LR vs RFARR (95%CI)	p	I2	Ref.
Overall survival	3 years	Total	802/1249	269/587	1.377(1.246–1.522)	<0.001	56.6%	26–34
		<3 cm	157/213	33/72	1.680(1.279–2.208)	<0.001	90.0%	26,31
		Solitary	306/481	150/290	1.263(1.109–1.439)	<0.001	64.0%	24,27,29–31,36
		Open	139/280	29/125	2.549(1.801–3.609)	<0.001	73.4%	26,30
		Perc	240/349	55/114	1.143(0.947–1.379)	0.014	48.8%	24,27,28,34,35
	5 years	Total	610/1249	182/587	1.474(1.284–1.692)	<0.001	21.7%	26–36
		<3 cm	123/213	20/72	2.168(1.442–3.260)	<0.001	84.4%	26,31
		Solitary	250/481	119/290	1.209(1.025–1.426)	0.024	0.0%	24,27,29–31,36
		Open	95/280	24/125	2.012(1.321–3.064)	0.001	81.8%	26,30
		Perc	188/349	39/114	1.426(1.062–1.915)	0.018	0%	24,27,28,34,35
Disease-free survival	3 years	Total	539/1171	135/519	1.735(1.483–2.029)	<0.001	65.4%	26–32,34–36
		<3 cm	98/213	18/72	2.238(1.480–3.385)	<0.001	97.7%	26,31
		Solitary	343/653	101/276	1.435(1.212–1.699)	<0.001	61.5%	27–31,36
		Open	117/280	25/125	2.309(1.544–3.453)	<0.001	82.5%	26,30
		Perc	137/329	9/114	3.853(2.065–7.190)	<0.001	6.6%	27,28,34,35
	5 years	Total	456/1171	83/519	2.227(1.823–2.720)	<0.001	71.8%	26–32,34–36
		<3 cm	81/213	17/72	1.104(1.039–1.173)	0.001	97.9%	26,31
		Solitary	324/653	64/276	2.014(1.624–2.499)	<0.001	78.8%	27–31,36
		Open	93/280	4/125	8.477(3.565–20.156	<0.001	70.5%	26,30
		Perc	118/329	5/114	3.763(1.762–8.033)	0.001	41.3%	27,28,34,35

LR: liver resection. RFA: radiofrequency ablation. RR: risk ratio. CI: confidence interval. <3 cm refers to the maximal tumor diameter was less than 3 cm. Open means that RFA was conducted under open surgery condition. Perc means that RFA was conducted percutaneously.