Cancer stem cell markers correlate with early recurrence and survival in hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 1 Baseline characteristics

Characteristic	ER group	NER group	P value
	n = 38	n = 52
Age (yr)	48.4 ± 10.6	47.2 ± 12.9	0.637
BMI (kg/m2)
< 23	28	34	0.401
≥ 23	10	18
Total bilirubin (mg/dL)	14.0 ± 6.3	13.3 ± 5.7	0.585
Albumin (g/L)	40.0 ± 3.9	41.0 ± 4.9	0.300
ALT (U/L)	38.1 ± 31.5	40.2 ± 39.7	0.767
AST (U/L)	51.9 ± 40.0	47.3 ± 46.1	0.850
Prothrombin time (s)	13.0 ± 2.1	12.6 ± 1.3	0.346
Platelet count (109/L)	150.2 ± 49.0	196.7 ± 83.5	0.003
AFP (ng/mL)
< 400	24	37	0.423
≥ 400	14	15
Tumor size (cm)	7.0 ± 3.0	6.0 ± 2.9	0.093
Liver cirrhosis
Present	26	22	0.014
Absent	12	30
Tumor capsule
Present	23	32	0.038
Absent	15	20
Edmondson grade
I or II	17	28	0.393
III or IV	21	24

Baseline characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who experienced recurrence (ER) within two years of hepatectomy (ER group) and HCC patients who did not (NER group). AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; BMI: Body mass index.