Microwave ablation for hepatic malignancies: a call for standard reporting and outcomes

Abstract Background Clinical standards of reporting microwave ablation outcomes have not been defined with regard to ablation success, 90-day morbidity, local recurrence after ablation, and nonablation hepatic recurrence. We propose recommendations for microwave ablation reporting and quality standards. Methods Literature review of clinical studies focusing on microwave ablation of primary and metastatic hepatic tumors was reported. Results Ablation success remains the highest quality reporting standard with variations in nomenclature, but with a universal agreement of complete destruction of the target lesion within 1 month after initial microwave ablation. Local recurrence after ablation remains highly variable, with reports as low as 2.2% to as high as 22%; standards lack a common, clearly defined distance from the initial target ablated lesion and the requirement that the target lesion be defined as an ablation success before it can be called a recurrence. Nonablation hepatic recurrence, nonhepatic recurrence, and 90-day morbidity and mortality remain limited in the current literature. Conclusions Standardization of hepatic microwave ablation reporting standards are proposed. Current reporting standards in microwave ablation of hepatic malignancies are suboptimal and lack standardization for comparison across institutions.