This study looked at how surgery compares to radiofrequency ablation for small liver cancers. Researchers examined data from over 3,500 patients who had one of these treatments. The goal was to see which method helped people live longer and stay healthy longer.
At one year, both treatments worked about the same. However, the results changed over time. By the third year, surgery showed much better survival rates. This advantage continued to grow by the fifth year of follow-up.
Patients who had surgery also had fewer chances of the cancer coming back. The risk of recurrence was lower for those who underwent surgery. Ablation had higher rates of the cancer returning within five years.
The study did not have enough information to compare safety details. More research is needed to confirm these results. Surgery seems like a strong first choice for very early stage liver cancer.