Comparison Between Radiofrequency Versus Ethanol Injection for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Ethanol injection has been for many years the standard approach as percutaneous treatment of non-surgical early hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients. Radiofrequency ablation has been proposed as an alternative approach and some retrospective and prospective comparative trials indicated its better performance for the local control of the disease in comparison to ethanol injection. Some prospective randomized studies from Japan and from Taiwan reported also an increase of overall survival in the patients treated by Radiofrequency. Aim of this study is to compare the two techniques in a prospective randomized trial in western patients.