Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer, and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality [1,2]. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 75–85 % of all liver cancers. Currently, curative resection is still the most effective treatment for HCC. However, the prognosis after surgery remains poor and unsatisfactory due to the high incidence of recurrence, up to 70 % within 5 years [3].