Abstract: Objective To explore the effect of ultrasound-guided laser and radiofrequency ablation on serum tumor markers in the treatment of small liver cancer and the evaluation by contrast-enhanced ultrasound. 
Methods Seventy-six patients with small liver cancer were selected as the research subjects, and divided into the observation group(ultrasound-guided laser ablation treatment, n=38) and the control group(ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation therapy, n=38). Complete ablation rate(CAR)at 1 month after treatment was compared, and alpha-fetoprotein(AFP), abnormal prothrombinⅡ(PIVKA-Ⅱ), and glypican 3(CPC3)before treatment and at 4 weeks after treatment were evaluated.The complications(local pain, intraabdominal bleeding, biliary bleeding, bile leakage, abdominal infection), and 2-year survival rate, 2-year progression-free survival(PFS) rate and survival time were observed. 
Results The 1-month CAR of the observation group was higher than that of the control group(P＜0.05). Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference between two groups with respect to AFP, PIVKA-Ⅱ, and CPC3(P＞0.05); After treatment, the AFP, PIVKA-Ⅱ, and CPC3 of the observation group were lower than those of the control group(P＜0.05). The incidence of local pain, intraabdominal bleeding, and biliary bleeding in the observation group was lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05). The incidence of bile leakage and abdominal infection in the observation group was lower than that in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05).The 2-year survival rate, 2-year PFS rate and survival time of the observation group were higher than those of the control group(P＜0.05). 
Conclusion Ultrasound-guided laser ablation and radiofrequency ablation are both effective methods for the treatment of small liver cancer. However, ultrasound-guided laser ablation is more effective, which can reduce the expression of serum tumor markers and increase CAR.

Key words: liver neoplasms,  , ultrasonography, radiofrequency ablation