Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40231586›Full record

ArticleCancer medicine2025

Prognostic Comparison of Complete vs. Incomplete Radiofrequency Ablation for Colorectal Liver Metastases: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

Huilin Lu, Xuancheng Xie, Yulan Zeng, Xiangwen Xia, Xiangjun Dong, Futang Bu, Hongjie Fan, Shufeng Xu

Abstract readMulticenter StudyComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
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

8 authors.

Huilin LuDepartment of Interventional Therapy, Xinxiang Central Hospital/the Fourth Clinical College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan, China.
Xuancheng XieDepartment of Radiology, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
Yulan ZengCancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6415-1794
Xiangwen XiaDepartment of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Xiangjun DongDepartment of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Futang BuDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Hongjie FanDepartment of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Shufeng XuDepartment of Radiology, The Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Quzhou People's Hospital, Quzhou, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2153-7720

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82272100National Natural Science Foundation of China 82302332
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRadiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a curative treatment for colorectal liver metastases (CLMs) in selected patients. NCCN guidelines recommend RFA for both unresectable and select resectable CLMs when complete ablation with adequate margins is feasible. While RFA can achieve oncologic outcomes comparable to surgery in well-selected patients, residual tumors are associated with a poorer prognosis.

objectivesTo identify predictors of residual tumor after percutaneous RFA for CLMs and evaluate their impact on overall survival (OS) and new intrahepatic metastases (NIHM).

methodsWe prospectively included patients with CLMs who underwent percutaneous RFA from November 2019 to November 2022. Dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography assessed CLMs before and after RFA. Residual tumor was defined as active tumor visible immediately post-ablation or within 4-8 weeks, within 1 cm of the ablation zone. Data from three centers formed a developmental cohort, validated with patients from a fourth center. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis assessed local tumor progression-free survival (LTPFS), NIHM, and OS.

resultsAmong 200 patients (mean age 61 years, 126 men) with 410 tumors, independent predictors of residual tumors included perivascular tumor location (odds ratio [OR] = 6.673), tumor size ≥ 20 mm (OR = 3.925), and minimal ablative margin (OR = 0.599). These factors also predicted LTPFS. NIHM was more frequent in the residual tumor group than in the complete RFA (cRFA) group (p = 0.002). Median OS was 45 months, shorter in the residual tumor group (30 vs. 48 months, p = 0.009). Patients with NIHM who received transarterial chemoembolization combined with hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy had a median OS of 43 months, compared to 34 months with RFA alone (p = 0.039).

conclusionsA non-perivascular tumor location, tumor size < 20 mm, and a sufficient ablation margin are essential for achieving complete RFA. Residual tumors are associated with increased NIHM and shorter OS.

Indexed as

Colorectal NeoplasmsLiver NeoplasmsRadiofrequency AblationAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm, ResidualPrognosisProspective StudiesTreatment Outcomecolorectal liver metastasescomputed tomographylocal tumor progression‐free survivalnew intrahepatic metastasesoverall survivalradiofrequency ablation

Identifiers

PMID40231586
PMCPMC11997704

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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 Socratic graph.