Comparative Analysis of Thermal Ablation and Hepatectomy for Solitary Colorectal Liver Metastases up to 5 cm: Insights from a Multicenter Trial Emulation on Safety, Effectiveness, and Economic Viability - Summary - MDSpire

Comparative Analysis of Thermal Ablation and Hepatectomy for Solitary Colorectal Liver Metastases up to 5 cm: Insights from a Multicenter Trial Emulation on Safety, Effectiveness, and Economic Viability

  • By

  • Jianming Li

  • Lu Li

  • Guangjian Liu

  • Huarong Li

  • Xiaoyan Xie

  • Haibo Shao

  • Lingwei Li

  • De-zhi Zhang

  • Kai Li

  • Zhishuai Li

  • Guangbin He

  • Erjiao Xu

  • Huage Zhong

  • Hong Yang

  • Man Lu

  • Kexin Lou

  • Xiang Xie

  • Qian Li

  • Yu Song

  • Yongyan Gao

  • Xiaohui Ji

  • Bin Ren

  • Jie Yu

  • Ping Liang

  • March 5, 2026

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To evaluate the comparative effectiveness of thermal ablation (TA) versus hepatectomy (HT) for treating solitary colorectal liver metastases (SCLM) up to 5 cm, focusing on primary outcomes such as survival rates and complication rates.

Key Findings:
  • TA is non-inferior to HT for SCLM ≤ 5 cm, particularly for tumors sized 3-5 cm, with a p-value of <0.05.
  • 5-year overall survival rates after HT range from 50 to 70%, with a confidence interval of 95%.
  • Only 20% of patients with SCLM are eligible for conventional surgical resection, highlighting the need for alternative treatments.
Interpretation:

The study suggests that TA can be a viable alternative to HT for patients with SCLM up to 5 cm, particularly for those ineligible for surgery due to various factors, potentially influencing treatment protocols.

Limitations:
  • Retrospective design may introduce biases despite propensity score matching, and the geographic limitation may restrict applicability to broader populations.
Conclusion:

TA presents a less invasive and effective treatment option for SCLM ≤ 5 cm, potentially improving outcomes for non-surgical candidates.

Original Source(s)

Comparative Analysis of Thermal Ablation and Hepatectomy for Solitary Colorectal Liver Metastases up to 5 cm: Insights from a Multicenter Trial Emulation on Safety, Effectiveness, and Economic Viability

  • by Jianming Li, Lu Li, Guangjian Liu, Huarong Li, Xiaoyan Xie, Haibo Shao, Lingwei Li, De-zhi Zhang, Kai Li, Zhishuai Li, Guangbin He, Erjiao Xu, Huage Zhong, Hong Yang, Man Lu, Kexin Lou, Xiang Xie, Qian Li, Yu Song, Yongyan Gao, Xiaohui Ji, Bin Ren, Jie Yu, Ping Liang

  • March 5, 2026

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