Table 3.

Published series of HCCs treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) vs. surgical resection

Author	Study type	Patients and treatment	Size HCC	Recurrence rates	Survival rates
Vivarelli et al. [22]	Retrospective	79 RES	<5 cm	50% RES*	65% RES*
	Comparative	79 P-RFA		66% P-RFA*	33% P-RFA*
				3 Years	3 Years
Montorsi et al. [23]	Retrospective	40 RES	<5 cm	30% RES*	73% RES
	Comparative	58 L-RFA		53% L-RFA*	61% L-RFA
					3 Years
Hong et al. [24]	Retrospective	93 RES	<4 cm	45% RES°	84% RES
	Comparative	55 P-RFA		58% P-RFA°	73% P-RFA
					3 Years
Wakai et al. [25]	Retrospective	85 RES	<4 cm	2% RES*	75% RES*
	Comparative	64 P-RFA		27% P-RFA*	55% P-RFA*
					5 Years
Chen et al. [26]	RCT	90 RES	<5 cm	31% RES	73% RES
		90 P-RFA		40% P-RFA	69% P-RFA
				3 Years	3 Years

RCT = randomized controlled trial; L-RFA = laparoscopic RFA; P-RFA = percutaneous RFA; and RES = resection.

*p < 0.05; and ^°p < 0.05 only for local recurrences.