Optimal staging system for predicting the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in China: a retrospective study

Table 6 The classification criteria of China staging system

Stage	Tumor size (cm) and location	Thrombosis	N	M	Child-Pugh score
Ia	single, ≤ 3	absent	absent	absent	A
Ib	unilobar, ≤ 5	absent	absent	absent	A
IIa	unilobar, ≤ 10; or bilobar, ≤ 5	absent	absent	absent	A
IIb	unilobar, >10; or bilobar, > 5; any	absent; portal vein, or inferior vena cava, or biliary duct branches	absent	absent
IIb	unilobar, >10; or bilobar, > 5; any		absent	absent	A or B
IIIa	any;	portal vein, or inferior vena cava, or biliary duct stem;	any	any	A or B
	any;	any;	present	any
	any	any	any	present
IIIb	any	any	any	any	C

ISSN: 1471-2407