Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35989371›Full record

SynthesisWorld journal of surgery2022

Radiofrequency Ablation Versus Repeat Hepatectomy for Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Marcus Yeow, Joseph J Zhao, Khi Yung Fong, Joel Wong, Alvin Yong Hui Tan, Juinn Huar Kam, Mehrdad Nikfarjam, Brian K P Goh, Tousif Kabir

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in World journal of surgery, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Efficacy of microwave ablationWorld journal of gastrointestinal surgery · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Marcus YeowYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-1023-7402
Joseph J ZhaoYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Khi Yung FongYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Joel WongYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Alvin Yong Hui TanDepartment of General Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Juinn Huar KamDepartment of General Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Mehrdad NikfarjamDepartment of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Austin Hospital, 145 Studley Rd, Heidelberg, Melbourne, VIC, 3084, Australia.
Brian K P GohDepartment of Hepatopancreatobiliary and Transplant Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
Tousif KabirDepartment of General Surgery, Sengkang General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore. tousifing@gmail.com.
National University of Singapore · SGAustin Hospital · AUSengkang General Hospital · SGSingapore General Hospital · SG

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAn updated systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to compare radiofrequency ablation (RFA) versus repeat hepatectomy (RH) for patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (rHCC) after a previous liver resection.

methodsPubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched from inception to October 2021 for randomized controlled trials and propensity-score matched studies. Individual participant survival data of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were extracted and reconstructed followed by one-stage and two-stage meta-analysis. Secondary outcomes were major complications and length of hospital stay (LOHS).

resultsA total of seven studies (1317 patients) were analysed. In both one-stage and two-stage meta-analysis, there was no significant difference in OS between the RFA and RH cohorts (Hazard Ratio (HR) 1.15, 95% CI 0.98-1.36, P = 0.094 and HR 1.12, 95% CI 0.77-1.64, P = 0.474 respectively), while the RFA group had a higher hazard rate of disease recurrence compared to the RH group (HR 1.30, 95% CI 1.13-1.50, P < 0.001 and HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.09-1.57, P = 0.013, respectively). RFA was associated with fewer major complications and shorter LOHS versus RH (Odds Ratio 0.34, 95% CI 0.15-0.76, P = 0.009 and Weighted Mean Difference - 4.78, 95% CI - 6.30 to - 3.26, P < 0.001, respectively).

conclusionsRH may be associated with superior DFS for rHCC, at the expense of higher morbidity rate and longer LOHS. However, OS is comparable between both modalities. As such, these techniques may be utilized as complementary strategies depending on individual patient and disease factors. Large-scale, randomized, prospective studies are required to corroborate these findings.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, HepatocellularCatheter AblationLiver NeoplasmsRadiofrequency AblationHepatectomyHumansNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID35989371
OpenAlexW4292523106

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.