This study aims to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of two surgical approaches on the treatment outcomes of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for malignant liver tumors.

Fifty-seven patients with malignant liver tumors, hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma and liver metastases, who were candidates for RFA, underwent laparoscopic or open surgical treatments.

The patients' characteristics were comparable in the two groups that received open (n=33, 57.9%) and laparoscopic (n=24, 42.1%) surgical treatments. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of recurrence rate ( p =0.337) and overall survival ( p =0.423). However, patients in the laparoscopic RFA group had significantly shorter hospital stay (14.1 vs. 5.9 days, p <0.05) and experienced fewer complications (Grade I: 62.5% vs. 26.3%, p =0.102).

Laparoscopic RFA can be performed for malignant liver tumors with lower morbidity rates, less invasiveness and lower expense compared to open surgical approach.