Unlocking the Potential of Radiofrequency Ablation in Treating Hepatocellular Carcinoma Among Elderly Patients: A Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to thoroughly assess and evaluate recent studies comparing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and surgical resection in older patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

We searched the databases PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane for articles published up to 31 October 2024. This review included studies comparing RFA and surgical resection in individuals with HCC aged 65 years or older. The exclusion criteria were non-human research, case reports, editorials, and studies involving patients with liver metastases or cholangiocarcinoma.

RESULTS

We found four retrospective cohort studies. The derived data showed no difference in one-year survival rates. However, the RFA group exhibited a better disease-free survival rate and a lower mortality rate than the surgical resection group.

CONCLUSION

RFA outperformed surgical resection in terms of overall and disease-free survival rates while showing no appreciable variation in the occurrence of complications. However, this study underscores the need for more extensive research utilizing larger sample sizes, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.