Table I.

Clinical characteristics of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma included in the present study (n = 60)

Parameter	N
Sex:
Male	33
Female	27
Age [years]:
≥ 40	53
< 40	7
Serum alanine aminotransferase level [U/l]:
< 50	29
≥ 50	31
Hepatitis B virus surface antigen:
Positive	55
Negative 5 (13.9)	5
Serum α-fetoprotein level [ng/ml]:
< 400	34
≥ 400	26
Length of tumor [cm]:
< 5	13
≥ 5	47
New American Joint Committee on Cancer stage:
Early (I–II)	39
Late (IIIA–IIIB)	21