Abstract: Objective To explore the effects of preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) on early postoperative recurrence in the China liver cancer (CNLC) staging Ⅰb-Ⅱa patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods The data of patients with CNLC Ⅰb-Ⅱa stage hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent curative liver resection in Xiangyang Central Hospital from May 2017 to May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.A total of 76 patients were included,patients were divided into preoperative TACE group (n=32) and surgery group (n=44) according to whether they underwent preoperative TACE.Observe the postoperative recovery of patients.Combined with the postoperative pathological results,adjuvant TACE treatment is performed.Regular reexamination and follow-up are conducted after discharge.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival time,calculate 95%CI,and plot the Disease-free (DFS) survival curve.The Cox proportional risk model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis.Results The 1-year disease-free survival rate in the preoperative TACE group was higher than that in the direct surgery group (96.9% vs. 84.1%,P>0.05).The 2-year disease-free survival rate in the preoperative TACE group was higher than that in the direct surgery group (90.6% vs. 70.5%,P<0.05).The disease-free survival of the preoperative TACE group was higher than the direct surgery group (23.03 months vs. 20.14 months,P<0.05).The incidence of treatment-related adverse events after surgery in the preoperative TACE group was higher than that in the direct surgery group (34.4% vs. 20.5%,P>0.05).Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that different treatment methods,tumor number ≥ 2,and tumor microvascular invasion were prognostic factors affecting tumor recurrence.No severe adverse reactions occurred in either group,and no deaths caused by adverse reactions were observed.

Key words: hepatocellular carcinoma, transarterial chemoembolization, preoperative therapy, early recurrence