ABLATION OF SMALL HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA USING RADIOFREQUENCY THERAPY

Abstract

With advances in imaging and surgical techniques, the number of patients undergoing hepatic resection for liver tumours has significantly increased during the past two decades.

. Patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma are often poor surgical candidates because of lack of hepatic reserve resulting from coexisting liver cirrhosis or the presence of multiple lesions at time of the diagnosis.

Additionally, because of the underlying cirrhosis, these patients are at high risk for development of new tumour nodules.

So, alternative methods of treatment that result in minimal damage to uninvolved hepatic parenchyma are necessary for most patients.

• Among these procedures are percutaneous ethanol injection, chemotherapy and trans catheter hepatic arterial chemo embolization which show disappointment as regards the results and side effects.