Zhang 2017a.

Methods	Study design: Randomised clinical trial Study duration: June 2011 to June 2014 Duration of follow‐up: 2 years Setting: Hospital
Participants	Inclusion criteria: Diagnosed as HCC by pathology; no extrahepatic metastasis and tumour thrombus; unresectable for liver resection; with liver function of Child‐Pugh Class A or B; no history of radiotherapy or chemotherapy; life expectancy ≥ 3 months; willing to sign a written informed consent document Exclusion criteria: With other serious diseases; disseminated tumour; abnormal renal or cardiac function; with contraindications for TACE or ablation Age (mean ± SD): TACE + MWA: 57.4 ± 6.5 years; TACE alone: 58.2 ± 6.3 years Male (n/total): TACE + MWA: 54/117; TACE alone: 52/117 BCLC stage (patients): Stage B: TACE + MWA: 66; TACE: 64 Stage C: TACE + MWA: 33; TACE: 39 Stage D: TACE + MWA: 13; TACE: 14
Interventions	TACE + MWA group (n = 117): TACE: Allura Xper FD20 guiding system. Oxaliplatin 100 mg. Multiple sessions of TACE can be performed. MWA: The interval between TACE and MWA was 2 weeks. KY‐2000 ablation system. CT‐guided MWA. Ablation margin of 0.5‐1 cm, 5‐15 minutes per ablation session TACE group (n = 117): Allura Xper FD20 guiding system. Oxaliplatin 100 mg. Multiple sessions of TACE can be performed.
Outcomes	Tumour response, according to mRECIST criteria, measured at 4 weeks after treatment, measured by contrast‐enhanced CT 6‐, 12‐, 18‐, and 24‐month survival rates
Notes	Country of study: China Source of funding: None There was insufficient information available to satisfactorily determine the method of randomisation and the study data could not be verified. We have attempted to contact the study authors for more information, but so far, we have not been successful in doing this.