Thermal ablation versus surgical resection for colorectal liver metastases: a Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE)-assessed systematic review, survival meta-analysis, and meta-regression
Year: 2025
Type: review
Study designs: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis
Abstract: Background: Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with liver metastases occurring in nearly 50% of patients during the disease course. This study aims to compare survival outcomes, including overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), and tumor recurrence risks between thermal ablation and surgical resection for colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs), incorporating recent randomized trial data to provide updated recommendations. Methods: statistics, and publication bias was evaluated using funnel plot asymmetry and Egger's regression test. Results: =74.9%). Conclusions: Surgical resection remains superior to thermal ablation in terms of OS and DFS, particularly for larger lesions (>3 cm). While thermal ablation, especially MWA, offers a promising alternative for smaller lesions, its increased risk of local recurrence warrants careful patient selection and precise procedural execution. These findings underscore the need for personalized, lesion-specific approaches to CRLM management, integrating advancements in ablation technology and hybrid surgical-ablation strategies.
Source: Translational Cancer Research
Authors: Muhammad Ansab, Sepideh Razi, Shree Rath, Umama Alam, Noor Ul Huda Ramzan, Muhammad Burhan, Asad Iqbal, Anwaar Saeed
Institutions: Services Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Bhubaneswar, Khyber Medical College, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dow University of Health Sciences, Bacha Khan Medical College, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
Language: English
Subfield: Hepatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4416455178