Surgical hepatic resection vs. ultrasonographic guided radiofrequency ablation in colorectal liver metastases: what should we choose?

Clinical evolution of the colorectal carcinoma occurs in up to 60% with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Although hepatic resection is considered to be the golden standard in CRLM, novel less invasive techniques have emerged, of which radiofrequency ablation has received a high credibility. When tumors are not eligible for surgery, guided radiofrequency ablation is considered an alternative. This method is appropriate when there are no more than 5 lesions with a diameter of less than 3 cm. While open surgery guarantees a more precise tumor excision, the effectiveness of ablation must be evaluated either by contrast-enhanced computer tomography, magnetic resonance, or ultrasound. This paper aim to review the current standings in radiofrequency ablation for CRLM and to compare the technique with surgical resection in order to find which one is the best treatment option.