Abstract: Objective To compare the efficacy of ultrasound-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation and hepatectomy in treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） of less than 3 cm diameters and to analyze the impacting factors of prognosis. Methods A total of 107 patients with HCC were recruited in our hospital between January 2011 and April 2015,and 58 patients with HCC received US-guided RPA,and 49 underwent hepatectomy. The independent risk factors affecting their survival was analyzed by Cox univariate and multivariate analysis. Results After treatment,serum ALT level in patients receiving radiofrequency ablation was significantly lower than that in patients receiving hepatectomy （P<0.05）,while serum albumin level was significantly higher than that in hepatectomy group （P<0.05）;the incidences of post-operational complications in the two groups （10.3% vs. 16.3%,P>0.05） were not statistically significantly different;the 1 a,2 a and 3 a overall survival（OS） rates in PRA-treated patients were 84.5%,65.5% and 44.8%,not significantly different as compared to 85.7%,67.3% and 46.9% in hepatectomy-treated patients （x²=0.032,P=0.859;x²=0.040,P=0.842;x²=0.048,P=0.827）;Cox univaritate analysis showed that tumor number （HR=0.372,95%CI:0.105-0.876,P=0.033） was related to the disease-free survival（DFS）,while serum AFP level（HR=3.043,95%CI:1.007-5.248,P=0.035）,tumor number （HR=0.871,95%CI:0.344-0.902,P=0.401） and tumor diameter （HR=1.631,95%CI:1.273-3.045,P=0.005） were related to the OS;Cox multivariate analysis showed that more than one tumor number （HR=0.087,95%CI:0.045-0.498,P=0.009） was the risk factor affecting the DFS,while lower tumor differentiation（HR=2.974,95%CI:1.865-4.097,P=0.046）,multiple tumor （HR=0.062,95%CI:0.033-0.378,P=0.002） and large tumor diameter （HR=2.216,95%CI:1.778-5.026,P=0.007） were the risk factors affecting the OS of patients with HCC. Conclusions Ultrasound-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation and hepatectomy are efficient in treating patients with HCC,while the patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation might have little trauma,less liver injuries and recover rapidly.

Key words: Hepatoma, Radiofrequency ablation, Hepatectomy, Efficacy, Prognosis