Tumor markers may improve patient selection for liver resection in HCC.

• In a study of 803 patients, 32.3% of resectable tumors had high tumor markers (AFP > 500 ng/ml or DCP > 1000 mau/ml).
• TM-high patients had a median survival of 120.7 months, significantly lower than non-TM-high patients at 160.8 months (p = 0.008).

Incorporating tumor markers into resectability criteria could optimize treatment strategies and improve outcomes for patients with HCC.

• TM-high status was an independent predictor for relapse-free survival and overall survival.