Table 1. Patient demographics and baseline characteristics.

Variable	Number (%)
Clinical characteristics (No. of patients =40)
Age (years)	60.32±10.4 (range, 43–78)
Male/female (gender)	35/5 (male 87.5%)
Etiology of liver disease
HBV	32 (80%)
HCV	2 (5.0%)
Total number RFA treatment
1	32 (80%)
2	3 (7.5%)
>5	5 (12.5%)
Baseline laboratory examination
AFP level (ng/mL)	217.90 (range, 1.3–1,876)
CA-199 (U/ml)	58.20 (range, 1.17–180.5)
Serum AST (≥35 IU/L)	18 (45%)
Serum ALT (≥40 IU/L)	14 (34%)
Tbil (≥21 ìmol/L)	12 (30%)
Baseline imaging features of HCC
Tumor location
Left-half liver	9 (22.5%)
Right-half liver	29 (72.5%)
The caudate lobe	2 (5%)
The maximum diameter of lesion (cm)
1<d< 2	9 (22.5%)
2≤d<3	15 (37.5)
d>3	16 (40%)

(Data in parentheses are percentages). HAV, hepatitis A virus infection; HBV, hepatitis B virus infection; HCV, hepatitis C virus infection; RFA, radiofrequency ablation; AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; CA-199, carbohydrate antigen-199; AST, aspartate aminotransaminase; Tbil, total bilirubin; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma.