Lencioni 2003.

Study characteristics
Methods	Randomised clinical trial
Participants	Country: Italy Number randomised: 104 Postrandomisation dropouts: 2 (1.9%) Revised sample size: 102 Average age: 68 years Females: 36 (35.3%) Cirrhosis: 102 (100%) Very early HCC: not stated Portal hypertension: not stated Viral aetiology: 82 (80.4%) Immunotherapy/antiviral adjuvant therapy: not stated Average follow‐up period in months (for all groups): mean: 23 months Criteria for early or very early HCC and other inclusion criteria: Milan criteria Child class A or B No vascular invasion No distant metastases
Interventions	Participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups: Group 1: PEI (n = 50). Further details: PEI using 2 to 10 mL 95% alcohol per session. Group 2: radiofrequency ablation (n = 52). Further details: radiofrequency ablation using 500L RITA Medical Systems.
Outcomes	The outcomes reported were: mortality, cancer‐related mortality, adverse events.
Notes	Reasons for postrandomisation dropouts: Tumour size > 5 cm. Extrahepatic cancer identified retrospectively.
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Quote: "computer‐generated randomization list"
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Comment: this information was not available.
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Comment: this information was not available.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Comment: this information was not available.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	High risk	Comment: there were postrandomisation dropouts.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	Comment: important clinical outcomes were reported.
For‐profit bias	Unclear risk	Comment: this information was not available.
Other bias	Low risk	Comment: no other bias noted.