Evaluation of Transient Elastography in Prediction of De novo Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Radiofrequency Ablation

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide and it is a common cause of death in patients with chronic liver disease. The curative treatment options for HCC that are currently available are surgical resection, liver transplantation and radiofrequency ablation .Despite progressive improvements in the efficacy of RFA, the survival of patients with HCC who undergo RFA remains disappointing, mainly due to frequent intrahepatic recurrence of HCC after RFA. Aim of the work: To evaluate the role of transient elastography (as an indirect indicator to degree of liver fibrosis) in prediction of denovo recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation in hepatitis C related hepatocellular carcinoma .And to compare between transient elastography and other noninvasive fibrosis indices in prediction of denovo recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation hepatitis C related hepatocellular carcinoma. Patients and methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on hepatocellular carcinoma patient, who underwent radiofrequency ablation in Tropical Medicine Department in Eldemerdash and Ain Shams Specialized Hospital, HCC clinic Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt between March 2017 and May 2019. Data of the patient, who underwent radiofrequency ablation during the study period, were reviewed and the patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled into this study. The patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria and underwent radiofrequency ablation were followed up for 12 months. Results: TE revealed 28 patients with F4 and only 2 patients with F3, the mean measurement of liver