Single-center analysis of percutaneous ablation in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: long-term outcomes of a 7-year experience

Purpose The objective of this study is to examine the safety and efficacy of ablative therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods A retrospective review of 419 consecutive patients diagnosed with HCC, treated with percutaneous ablation at a tertiary academic medical center from June 2015 to June 2022, was conducted. Data evaluated included demographics, disease and tumor burden scores, and functional status. Procedural outcomes included procedural course, complication rates, biochemical and radiologic response, survival, and functional status. Results A total of 419 patients, including 313 males (74.7%) and 106 females (25.3%) with a mean age of 63.8 ± 6.64 years, made up the study cohort. 120 patients (28.6%) presented with solitary lesions and 299 patients (71.4%) had multifocal involvement, with a mean tumor size of 2.3 ± 0.92 cm. A majority of the interventions performed were microwave ablations ( n = 413, 98.3%), with 6 radiofrequency ablations (1.4%). Treatment response was radiographically assessed up to 6 months post-ablation and graded as complete response (96.2%), partial response (2.6%), stable disease (0%), and progressive disease (1.2%). 97 (23.2%) of the treated patients went on to receive liver transplant. The average progression-free survival in the study population was 24 months with a survival of 85.9% ( n = 360), 67.8% ( n = 284), and 63.2% ( n = 265) at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years respectively. Functional outcomes, as defined by ECOG scores, were maintained or improved in 383 patients (91.4%) and 349 patients (83.3%) at 6 months and 12 months respectively. Conclusions This large institutional experience demonstrated safety and efficacy of ablation therapies for treatment of HCC with promising tumor response rates and enduring clinical outcomes including prolonged survival and preserved functional status.