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Microwave ablation may be a safe alternative to surgery for small liver cancer in older patients

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Microwave ablation may be a safe alternative to surgery for small liver cancer in older patients

Liver cancer, also called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is often treated with surgery. But for older patients, surgery can carry more risks, including longer recovery times and higher complication rates. Researchers wanted to see if microwave ablation (MWA), a less invasive procedure, could work just as well as surgery for small liver tumors.

The study included patients aged 65 and older who had a single liver tumor no larger than 3 cm. Some patients had surgery to remove the tumor, while others had MWA, which uses heat from microwaves to destroy cancer cells.

After carefully matching patients to compare them fairly, the study found that overall survival was similar between the two treatments. At 5 years, survival rates were close: about 55% with MWA and about 65% with surgery. The time patients stayed free from cancer was also similar in both groups.

The main difference was in side effects and recovery. Patients who had MWA had far fewer complications and left the hospital sooner (about 3 days) compared to those who had surgery (about 6 days). The only drawback was that tumors were more likely to return in the same spot after MWA compared to surgery.

For older patients with small liver cancers, this research shows that microwave ablation may be a safe and effective alternative to surgery. It may not replace surgery for everyone, but it gives patients another treatment choice that may come with an easier recovery.

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