Despite advancements in surgical resection, liver transplantation, locoregional therapy and the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, outcomes for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain poor [1]. Hepatectomy is a radical and first-line therapeutic tool for achieving long-term survival in early-stage HCC patients [2]. However, up to 70 % of HCC patients experience subsequent recurrence within 5years after resection [3]. Early recurrence (within 2 years) accounts for approximately 7…