Postoperative outcomes and recurrence patterns of intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma dictated by the sum of tumor size and number

Table 3 Univariate and multivariate analysis of recurrence-free survival in patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage B hepatocellular carcinoma

Variables	Univariate analysis		Multivariate analysis
	HR (95%CI)	P value	HR (95%CI)	P value
Gender (male)	1.135 (0.526-2.450)	0.747
Age (> 65 yr)	0.881 (0.514-1.511)	0.646
BMI > 25	1.157 (0.729-1.836)	0.536
HBs-Ag positive	1.109 (0.558-2.202)	0.769
ALBI grade
1	1.00 (Reference)
2	1.474 (0.988-2.198)	0.057
AFP > 400 ng/mL	1.458 (0.984-2.162)	0.060
Maximum tumor size > 5 cm	1.253 (0.830-1.891)	0.283
Tumor number > 3	2.449 (1.123-5.343)	0.024
N + S > 10	2.113 (1.385-3.224)	0.001	1.657 (1.057-2.596)	0.028
Bilateral tumor distribution	2.104 (1.409-3.140)	< 0.001	1.820 (1.187-2.791)	0.006
Presence of MVI	1.757 (0.973-3.171)	0.062
Edmondson-Steiner III-IV	1.709 (1.151-2.539)	0.008	1.676 (1.127-2.493)	0.011
Major resection	1.285 (0.867-1.904)	0.211
NAH	1.126 (0.650-1.950)	0.673
Preoperative TACE
No	1.00 (Reference)
Yes	0.784 (0.437-1.405)	0.414

BMI: Body mass index; HBs-Ag: Hepatitis B surface antigen; ALBI: Albumin-bilirubin; AFP: Alpha-fetoprotein; N + S: The sum of tumor size and number; MVI: Microvascular invasion; NAH: Non-anatomical hepatectomy; TACE: Transarterial chemoembolization.