Low-Dose Thalidomide as Adjuvant Therapy After Radiofrequency Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 - 75 years, who refused surgery or first recurrence after hepatectomy * A solitary HCC 3.1-7.0cm in diameter, or 2-3 lesions, sums of diameters ≤ 7.0cm * Lesions being visible on ultrasound (US) and with an acceptable/safe path between the lesion and the skin as shown on US * No extrahepatic metastasis * No imaging evidence of invasion into the major portal/hepatic vein branches * No history of encephalopathy, ascites refractory to diuretics or variceal bleeding * A platelet count of \> 40,000/mm3 * No previous treatment of HCC except liver resection Exclusion Criteria: * Patient compliance is poor * Previous or concurrent cancer that is distinct in primary site or histology from HCC, EXCEPT cervical carcinoma in situ, treated basal cell carcinoma, superficial bladder tumors (Ta, Tis \& T1). Any cancer curatively treated \> 3 years prior to entry is permitted * History of cardiac disease: * congestive heart failure \> New York Heart Association (NYHA) class 2 * active coronary artery disease (myocardial infarction more than 6 months prior to study entry is permitted) * cardiac arrhythmias requiring anti-arrhythmic therapy other than beta blockers, \*calcium channel blocker or digoxin * uncontrolled hypertension (failure of diastolic blood pressure to fall below 90 mmHg, despite the use of 3 antihypertensive drugs) * Active clinically serious infections (\> grade 2 National Cancer Institute \[NCI\]-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events \[CTCAE\] version 3.0) * Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection * Known Central Nervous System tumors including metastatic brain disease * Patients with clinically significant gastrointestinal bleeding within 30 days prior to study entry * Distantly extrahepatic metastasis