A Randomized Controlled Trial to Compare the Outcomes Between Hepatectomy and Transarterial Chemoembolization for Patients With Multiple Hepatocellular Carcinomas Based on the NDR Scoring System

Multiple hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) accounts for 60% to 70% of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.However,the selection criteria of hepatectomy for patients with multiple HCCs remains controversial.Researches have suggested that part of the patients with multiple HCCs can also benefit from hepatectomy.But,expanding the selection criteria for hepatectomy will increase tumor recurrence rates and reduce the therapeutic effect, more stringent selection criteria will also make part of the patients who should take hepatectomy lose the operation chance. This is a difficult problem in the research of this field.The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) system recommends that stage A (number ≤ 3, largest diameter ≤ 3 cm) were suitable for liver resection.However, increasing reports on good outcome after hepatectomy for patients with multiple HCCs have been published.Studies on clonal origin suggest that hepatectomy is a better treatment for multiple HCCs from multicentric origin (MO) than that from intrahepatic metastasis (IM) and the 5-year overall survival rates is 24% to 58%.The investigators established a scoring system(NDR score; N, tumor number; D, total tumor diameter; R, ratio of largest/smallest diameter) based on preoperative data which can accurately predict postoperative long-term survival of patients with multiple HCCs.The formula is as follows: 1×N（N: >3=1; ≤3= 0）+ 2×D（D: >8cm = 1; ≤8cm= 0）+ 1×R（R: >6 = 1; ≤6= 0）.The investigators first propose a selection criteria of hepatectomy for patients with multiple HCCs based on this scoring system. Patients with a NDR score 0-2 are recommended for hepatectomy and can benefit from the surgery,and because of the unsatisfied outcome,patients with a NDR score more than 2 are not recommended for hepatectomy.The stringent selection criteria should be expanded so that more patients can benefit from hepatectomy,and the less stringent criteria should be limited to ensure curative effect.So,the investigators' NDR scoring system was more accurate in selecting patients with multiple HCCs for hepatectomy and this article was published on Ann Surg Oncol（2015，22:826）.In order to further confirm the rationality of this selection criteria,the investigators would like to propose a prospective randomized controlled study.