Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effects of percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) for metastatic liver cancer. Methods Ultrasound-guided percutaneous MWA technique was used to treat 27 cases of hepatic metastases with 69 nodules 〔0.9-13.2 (3.0±2.0) cm in diameter〕. Local therapeutic effect, local and distant recurrence rate and survival rate were evaluated respectively. Results The complete ablation (CA) rate which was used to evaluate the local therapeutic effects was 92.8% (64/69), with 100% (34/34), 92.3%(24/26) and 66.7% (6/9) in a diameter of nodules lt;3.0 cm, 3.0-5.0 cm and ≥5.0 cm respectively. The CA rate was lower in the group of a diameter of nodules ≥5.0 cm as compared with other two groups (Plt;0.05). The local recurrence rate was 9.4% (6/64), with 2.9% (1/34), 16.7% (4/24) and 16.7% (1/6) in a diameter of nodules lt;3.0 cm, 3.0-5.0 cm and ≥5.0 cm respectively. The intrahepatic distant recurrence rate was 44.4% (12/27). The follow-up time after MWA was 3－34 (17.0±8.7) months. During the follow-up period, 6 months, 1 and 2-year cumulative survival rate was 88.9%, 63.0% and 34.4% respectively, with a mean survival time of 17.8 months, and with a median survival time of 19.0 months.Conclusion Percutaneous MWA treatment offers satisfactory local tumoricidal efficacy to metastatic liver cancer and the patients with recurrence and new metastases can be therapy repeatedly to improve long-term survival.
