Laser ablation is superior to TACE in large-sized hepatocellular carcinoma: A pilot case-control study

// Filomena Morisco 1 , Silvia Camera 1 , Maria Guarino 1 , Raffaella Tortora 2 , Valentina Cossiga 1 , Anna Vitiello 1 , Gabriella Cordone 2 , Nicola Caporaso 1 , Giovan Giuseppe Di Costanzo 2 and Italian Liver Cancer (ITA.LI.CA) group 1 Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy 2 Hepatology Unit, “Cardarelli” Hospital, Naples, Italy Correspondence to: Filomena Morisco, email: filomena.morisco@unina.it Keywords: large HCC; laser ablation; TACE Received: December 13, 2017 Accepted: February 27, 2018 Published: April 03, 2018 ABSTRACT Background: Limited therapies are available for large (≥40 mm) unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Currently, the standard treatment with transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) is unsatisfactory with high recurrence rate and limited effect on survival. Laser Ablation (LA) has emerged as a relatively new technique characterized by high efficacy and good safety. This study is aimed to evaluate the efficacy of LA in comparison to TACE in patients with large HCC. Methods: Eighty-two patients with a single HCC nodule ≥40 mm (BCLC stage A or B) were enrolled in this case-control study. Forty-one patients were treated with LA and 41 patients were treated with TACE. Response to therapy was evaluated according to the mRECIST criteria. Survival was calculated with Kaplan-Meier from the time of cancer diagnosis to death with values censored at the date of the last follow-up. Results: Twenty-six (63.4%) and 8 (19.5%) patients had a complete response after LA and TACE, respectively ( p 60 mm. LA resulted superior to TACE especially in nodules ranging between 51 and 60 mm in diameter, with a complete response rate post-LA and post-TACE of 75% and 14.3%, respectively ( p = 0.0133). The 36 months cumulative survival rate in patients treated with LA and TACE was 55.4% and 48.8%, respectively. The disease recurrence rates after LA and TACE were 19.5% and 75.0%, respectively. Conclusions: LA is a more effective therapeutic option than TACE in patients with solitary large HCC.