Risk factors for early intrahepatic distant recurrence after radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients

Objective Early tumor recurrence, either local or intrahepatic distant recurrence (IDR), after successful radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a significant problem. The study aimed to determine the potential risk factors for IDR within one year after successful RFA in HCC patients. Methods In total, 105 patients with 138 lesions who underwent RFA and were followed up for at least one year were included in this study. The patients' data was retrospectively reviewed. Multiple host and tumoral potential risk factors were analyzed. Results IDR was found in 62 (59.0%) of all patients. Cumulative IDR-free survival rates in all patients studied were 81.9%, 45.4% and 35.2% at 1, 2 and 3 years, respectively, after RFA. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that both tumor size >2.8 cm and primary multinodular tumors were significant risk factors for IDR within one year after RFA. Conclusions Patients with tumors of >2.8 cm in diameter or multinodular HCC should be closely monitored for early recurrence after RFA. Combined or systemic therapies should be tried for these patients to improve their disease-free and overall survival.