Evaluation of Transient Elastography in Prediction Of De novo Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Radiofrequency Ablation
Authors: Abdelkader Nadia abdelaty , Abdelaleem Moustafa Hamed , El- maaty Mohammed El-Gharib Abo , Aly Heba Ismail , Sayed Sayed Ahmed 
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Background
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide and it is also 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 non invasive fibrosis indices in prediction of denovo recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after radiofrequency ablation hepatitis C related hepatocellular carcinoma

Patients and methods
This prospective cohrt 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 stiffness was (22.45 ± 10.36) KPa. There was a significant negative correlation between LS and denovo recurrence of HCC (mean of LS in patients with complete response was 17.19 ± 3.32 and the mean of LS in patient with denovo recurrence was 36,94 ± 5.93,with the The best cut off value ≥24.65 (p value &lt; 0.001)). There was no significant correlation between CDC, FIB4, API scores and denovo recurrence of HCC. Also it was found that the LS was significantly associated with prediction of manifestation of hepatic decompensation after RFA (means of LS in patient without manifestation decompensation after RFA (p value &lt;0.001) .Regarding prediction of mortality, LS at cut off value &gt; 42 .75 (p value = 0,031) was significantly associated with prediction of mortality after one year of RFA. As regard serum non invasive fibrosis indices our results showed correlation between FIB4 score and hepatic decompensation after one year of intervention (the mean of FIB4 score in patients ascites and jaundice was 6.05 ± 4.71 (p value = 0.05) ).Therewas no statistically significant correlation between CDS and API with hepatic decompensation after RFA .As regard role of serum non invasive fibrosis indices in prediction of mortality after RFA, FIB4 score, CDS and API were statistically non significant.

Conclusion
Our data suggest that LS measurement is a useful predictor of HCC de novorecurrence overall survival and possibility of hepatic decompensation after RFA