Results
In comparison with patients with PLC <10 cm, patients with PLC
10 cm were significantly younger (
P<0.01), had a lower incidence of asymptomatic tumors (9.1% vs 39.5%,
P<0.001), higher
-fetoprotein levels ( >400 ng/ml, 78.3% vs 49.2%,
P<0.001), higher
-glutamyl transpeptidase levels ( >6U, 87.7% vs 70.5%,
P<0.001), a lower incidence of a history of hepatitis (45.0% vs 61.4%,
P<0.001) and associated macronodular cirrhosis (cirrhotic nodules
0.3 cm, 59.8% vs 66.6%,
P<0.001), poor differentiation of tumor cells (Edmondson grade 3–4, 24.3% vs 19.7%,
P<0.01), a lower percentage of single nodule tumors (59.9% vs 75.4%,
P<0.001) and well-encapsulated tumors (28.5% vs 62.1%,
P<0.001), a higher proportion of tumor emboli in the portal vein (20.5% vs 9.0%,
P<0.001), a lower resection rate (50.6% vs 86.8%,
P<0.001), a lower curative resection rate (54.8% vs 78.3%,
P<0.001), a higher operative mortality rate (4.5% vs 2.3%,
P<0.001), and less local resection (52.5% vs 80.2%,
P<0.001). The 5- and 10-year survival rates after resection were 26.2% and 17.5%, respectively, for patients with PLC
10 cm (
n=621), and 54.3% and 39.5%, respectively, for patients with PLC <10 cm (
n=2039) (
P<0.01).