Can a 'No-Touch' microwave technique match surgery for liver tumors?
NCT ID NCT07748481
First seen Aug 05, 2026 · Last updated Aug 06, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looks at three ways to treat subcapsular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a type of liver cancer near the surface of the liver. It compares two minimally invasive microwave ablation methods—one that avoids piercing the tumor and one that does—against traditional surgical removal. The goal is to see which approach best controls the tumor, prevents recurrence, and helps people live longer. About 180 patients with small subcapsular HCC will be followed over time to measure outcomes like local tumor control, disease-free survival, and overall survival.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Microwave ablation (no-touch and tumor-puncture techniques) compared with surgical resection
- What this could lead to
- If no-touch microwave ablation proves as effective as surgery, it could offer a less invasive option for people with subcapsular liver cancer, potentially reducing recovery time and risks.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, not a randomized trial, so results may be influenced by patient differences. Microwave ablation may not achieve the same long-term control as surgery, and there are risks of bleeding, infection, or incomplete tumor destruction.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 180 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Oct 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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May 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
The study population will consist of adult patients with confirmed subcapsular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who receive no-touch microwave ablation, tumor-puncture microwave ablation, or surgical resection as part of routine clinical practice. The diagnosis of HCC will be established according to the practice guidelines of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). Subcapsular HCC will be defined based on imaging findings, with the shortest distance between the tumor margin and the liver capsule being ≤3 mm as confirmed by ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Eligible patients will be prospectively enrolled and followed to evaluate treatment efficacy, safety, recurrence patterns, and long-term survival outcomes.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) confirmed by pathological biopsy or clinical diagnostic criteria; Imaging examinations including ultrasound confirm that the HCC lesion is subcapsular, defined as the minimum distance between the tumor and liver capsule ≤ 3 mm; Single tumor with maximum diameter ≤ 5 cm, or up to 3 multiple tumors each with maximum diameter ≤ 3 cm; Liver function classified as Child-Pugh grade A or B; No invasion of adjacent blood vessels or vital organs; no tumor thrombus in the main portal vein or hepatic vein, and no extrahepatic metastasis. \- Exclusion Criteria:Patients with dysfunction of vital organs such as heart and lungs; Patients who received preoperative radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy, or patients complicated with other malignant tumors; Poor follow-up compliance and inability to complete the standardized follow-up procedures. \-
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
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