Table 1 The clinical characteristics of patients in the derivation and validation cohort

Number of patients

286

120

Gender

0.242

 Male

237 (82.87%)

105 (87.50%)

 Female

49 (17.13%)

15 (12.50%)

Age (years)

0.458

 ≤ 60

199 (69.58%)

79 (65.83%)

 > 60

87 (30.42%)

41 (34.17%)

Hypertension

0.233

 With

74 (25.87%)

38 (31.67%)

 Without

212 (74.13%)

82 (68.33%)

 Diabetes

0.885

 With

46 (16.08%)

20 (16.67%)

 Without

240 (83.92%)

100 (83.33%)

Coronary heart disease

0.803

 With

11 (3.85%)

4 (3.33%)

 Without

275 (96.15%)

116 (96.67%)

Smoking history

0.393

 With

125 (43.71%)

58 (48.33%)

 Without

161 (56.29%)

62 (51.67%)

Drinking history

0.187

 With

88 (30.77%)

45 (37.50%)

 Without

198 (69.23%)

75 (62.50%)

Portal hypertension

0.325

 With

65 (22.73%)

22 (18.33%)

 Without

221 (77.27%)

98 (81.67%)

ALBI core

0.084

 ≤ − 2.60

256 (89.51%)

100 (83.33%)

 > − 2.60 to ≤ − 1.39

30 (10.49%)

20 (16.67%)

Preoperative ALT level (U/L)

30.0 (13.0–241.0)

26.50 (13.00–337.0)

Preoperative AST level (U/L)

30.0 (13.0–241.0)

26.50 (13.00–337.0)

Preoperative ALB level (g/L)

44.02 ± 4.19

43.20 ± 4.41

Preoperative serum creatinine level (mg/dl)

73.35 ± 14.29

76.21 ± 13.28

Preoperative blood glucose level (mmol/L)

5.62 ± 1.72

5.50 ± 1.37

Preoperative PT (second)

11.92 ± 0.95

11.97 ± 1.07

Preoperative status of HBsAg

0.165

 Positive

232 (81.12%)

90 (75.00%)

 Negative

54 (18.88%)

30 (25.00%)

Preoperative status of HBeAg

0.240

 Positive

65 (22.73%)

21 (17.50%)

 Negative

221 (77.27%)

99 (82.50%)

HCV-Ab

0.669

 Positive

20 (6.99%)

7 (5.83%)

 Negative

266 (93.01%)

113 (94.17%)

Preoperative LnAFP level

4.62 ± 2.95

4.62 ± 2.95

Maximum diameter of primary tumor (cm)

0.836

 ≤ 5

170 (59.44%)

70 (58.33%)

 > 5

116 (40.56%)

50 (41.67%)

Adjacent to large blood vessels

0.770

 With

90 (31.47%)

36 (30.00%)

 Without

196 (68.53%)

84 (70.00%)

Adjacent to the diaphragm

0.078

 With

24 (8.39%)

17 (14.17%)

 Without

262 (91.61%)

103 (85.83%)

MVI classification

 M1

132 (46.15%)

58 (48.33%)

 M2

66 (23.08%)

34 (28.33%)

 MX

88 (30.77%)

28 (23.33%)

Number of tumors

 1

250 (87.41%)

109 (90.83%)

 ≥ 2

36 (12.59%)

11 (9.17%)

Satellite nodule

 With

49 (17.13%)

19 (15.83%)

 Without

237 (82.87%)

101 (84.17%)

Serosal invasion

 With

172 (60.14%)

75 (62.50%)

 Without

114 (39.86%)

45 (37.50%)

Preoperative/intraoperative ablation

1.000

 With

7 (2.45%)

2 (1.67%)

 Without

279 (97.55%)

118 (98.33%)

Preoperative radiotherapy

0.727

 With

6 (2.10%)

3 (2.50%)

 Without

280 (97.90%)

117 (97.50%)

Preoperative interventional therapy

0.924

 With

16 (5.59%)

7 (5.83%)

 Without

270 (94.41%)

113 (94.17%)

Postoperative radiotherapy

0.642

 With

47 (16.43%)

22 (18.33%)

 Without

239 (83.57%)

98 (81.67%)

Postoperative interventional therapy

0.447

 With

114 (39.86%)

43 (35.83%)

 Without

172 (60.14%)

77 (64.17%)

AJCC staging system (the 8th edition)

0.362

 Stage I

21 (7.34%)

10 (8.33%)

 Stage II

202 (70.63%)

91 (75.83%)

 Stage III

63 (22.03%)

19 (15.83%)

BCLC staging system

 Stage 0

21 (7.34%)

10 (8.33%)

 Stage A

39 (13.64%)

14 (11.67%)

 Stage B

199 (69.58%)

89 (74.17%)

 Stage C

27 (9.44%)

7 (5.83%)

Early-relapse

 Presence

115 (40.21%)

45 (37.50%)

 Absence

171 (59.79%)

75 (62.50%)