Relationship between microvessel count and post-hepatectomy survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 2 Definition and criteria of TNM stage for HCC according to the Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan[18]

Criteria for TNM categories
(1) Number of tumors: 1
(2) Tumor size: ≤ 2 cm
(3) No vascular or bile duct invasion
T category	T1: Fulfilling all three criteria
	T2: Fulfilling two criteria
	T3: Fulfilling one criterion
	T4: Fulfilling none of the criteria
N category	N0: Absence of lymph node metastasis
	N1: Presence of lymph node metastasis
M category	M0: Absence of distant metastasis
	M1: Presence of distant metastasis
Stage I	T1 N0 M0
Stage II	T2 N0 M0
Stage III	T3 N0 M0
Stage IV-A	T4 N0 M0 or T1-T4, N1M0
Stage IV-B	T1-4, N0 or N1, M1