Risk Factors for Early Recurrence After Microwave Ablation in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1004-5775.2025.02.013

Abstract：Objective: To explore the risk factors for early recurrence after microwave ablation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and to provide references and basis for clinical prevention and treatment. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 47 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who were treated at the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Ruzhou City First People's Hospital between October 2020 and October 2021. According to whether the patients had recurrence after microwave ablation, they were divided into a small incision recurrence group (20 cases) and a non-recurrence group (27 cases). Clinical data of the patients, including gender, age, number of tumors, tumor diameter, tumor boundary, tumor type, pathological classification, blood flow perfusion degree, whether adjacent to major vessels, and liver Child-Pugh classification, were collected. Univariate analysis was performed on the above data, and logistic regression analysis was conducted on the variables that showed statistical significance to screen out independent risk factors for early recurrence after microwave ablation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Results: Univariate analysis showed that the proportions of patients with multiple tumors, tumor diameter ≥30 mm, unclear tumor boundaries, high differentiation pathological types, high blood flow perfusion, and lesions adjacent to major vessels were significantly higher in the recurrence group than in the non-recurrence group (χ2=10.049, 7.521, 7.176, 7.018, 9.030, P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that multiple tumors, tumor diameter ≥30 mm, and lesions adjacent to major vessels were independent risk factors for early recurrence after microwave ablation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (OR=1.86, 1.73, 1.76, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Multiple tumors, tumor diameter ≥30 mm, and lesions adjacent to major vessels are independent risk factors for early recurrence after microwave ablation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Relevant clinical measures can be formulated based on these factors to prevent early recurrence after microwave ablation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.