Hepatectomy Versus Hepatectomy With Lymphadenectomy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Inclusion Criteria:

• age 18 to 65 years;
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status is grade 0 or 1;
• good liver function with Pugh-Child Class A or B;
• indocyanine green retention at 15 minutes (ICG-R15) <15%;
• without severe cirrhosis;
• the diameter of tumor is equal to or more than 3 cm;
• the liver resection could be assessed R0 (the define of R0 resection will be explained in the section of Surgical procedures);
• absence of extrahepatic metastasis.

Exclusion Criteria:

• the diameter of tumor is less than 3 cm;
• palliative resection of tumor;
• with the history of hepatic encephalopathy, ascites, and variceal bleeding;
• with severe hepatic cirrhosis;
• tumor rupture;
• with the history of upper abdominal surgery, it is tough to remove the regional lymph nodes; or it is unable to be resected when multiple lymph nodes mixed and fixed.