{
  "abstract": "Background: The optimal resection margin width for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to explore the value of preoperative circulating tumor cells (CTCs) status and tumor size in guiding the resection margin width of patients with HCC.\n\nMethods: This study was a multicenter retrospective study that included 383 patients who underwent resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Preoperative circulating tumor cell (CTC) detection (CTC ≥ 1/CTC = 0) and imaging evaluation of tumor size (≤ 3 cm/> 3 cm) were performed in all patients. We aimed to compare recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) between patients receiving narrow (< 1 cm) and wide (≥ 1 cm) resection margins.\n\nResults: Tumor diameter and CTC status were independent predictors of RFS and OS in the entire cohort. In patients with tumor diameter ≤ 3 cm, CTC-positive status correlated with poorer RFS but not OS. RFS and OS of narrow margin group and wide margin group were similar, and there was no statistical significance (P > 0.05). In the patients with tumor diameter > 3 cm and CTC-negative group, the RFS and OS of the narrow margin group were comparable to those of the wide margin group (P > 0.05). However, in patients with tumor diameter > 3 cm and CTC-positive groups, RFS and OS were better in the wide margin group than in the narrow margin group (P < 0.05).\n\nConclusions: Using preoperative CTC status and tumor diameter as preoperative markers, combined analysis of CTC status and tumor diameter could help to determine surgical margin width in patients with solitary HCC. Narrow margins are indicated for patients with a tumor diameter ≤ 3 cm (regardless of CTC status) and for patients with a tumor diameter > 3 cm and CTC-negative. Whereas wide margins are preferred in patients with tumors > 3 cm in diameter and CTC-positive.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Longhua District People's Hospital",
    "Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery I, Zhongshan People's Hospital",
    "Department of Liver Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology",
    "Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University",
    "Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiaogan Central Hospital",
    "Graduate School, Guangdong Medical University",
    "Department of Anesthesiology I, Zhongshan People's Hospital",
    "Department of Anesthesiology II, Zhongshan People's Hospital",
    "Department of Anesthesiology, Shenzhen Longgang District People's Hospital",
    "Intensive Care Unit, Zhongshan People's Hospital",
    "Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shaoyang University"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 15,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jiansen Xie"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Qijie Luo"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Dongdong Huang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Feng Xia"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Zhenheng Wu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Wei Zhou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Qiao Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Feng Tian"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Chi-Yi Liu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7
      ],
      "name": "Zhihui Xu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        8
      ],
      "name": "Xian-Ting Jiao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        9
      ],
      "name": "Wei-Qiao Zhang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        10
      ],
      "name": "Mo Ali"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yi Zhou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hengyi Gao"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bmr2mgz92966v.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fonc.2026.1810914",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13720440/?tool=EBI",
  "id": "bmr2mgz92966v",
  "issns": [
    "2234-943X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.1810914/full",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Original Research"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2721|Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treatment and Prognosis"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222483345",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.1810914/pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13720440",
  "pmid": "42964388",
  "published": "2026-10-16",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bmr2mgz92966v.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:13Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fonc.2026.1810914",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.1810914/full"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T12:21:36Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13720440",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13720440"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-03T12:21:19Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13720440",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2026.1810914"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "issn:2234-943X",
      "subfield": "oncology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Combined analysis of preoperative circulating tumor cells status and tumor size to guide width of resection margin for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma",
  "title_text": "Combined analysis of preoperative circulating tumor cells status and tumor size to guide width of resection margin for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-03T12:21:19Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bmr2mgz92966v",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Oncology",
  "versions": []
}