Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 19, 2026
Application of the En Bloc Concept Combined with Anatomic Resection in Laparoscopic Hepatectomy
Published on: March 10, 2023
Is laparoscopic liver resection suitable for selected patients with BCLC stage B HCC? A propensity score-matched
Yufu Peng1, Fei Liu1, Hongwei Xu1
1Department of Liver Surgery, Center of Liver Transplantation, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
Background:
The optimal treatment for patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is controversial given the variability of tumour status within this group of patients. This aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in a subset of selected patients with BCLC stage B HCC.
Methods:
Patients with resectable BCLC stage B HCC who underwent treatment between April 2015 and October 2018 were identified for further analysis. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted to minimize effect of confounding factors. Perioperative and long-term outcomes were compared between the two groups and multivariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors related to the overall survival (OS).
Results:
From a total of 224 patients 70 were included into each group after PSM. The overall and major morbidity were comparable between the LLR and TACE groups (P = 0.700 and P = 0.500 after PSM, respectively). The OS in LLR group was significantly better than that in the TACE group (P < 0.001). Tumor number ≥4, the diameter of the biggest tumor >5 cm, and patients who underwent TACE were independent predictors of poorer OS.
Conclusions:
LLR for selected patients with BCLC stage B HCC is safe and feasible and has improved survival as compared to TACE.
