On subgroup analysis, the combination therapy provided better survival than RFA alone in patients with M1 along with either a tumor size of 3–5 cm, tumor number of two to three, or alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) > 400 μg/L, and in those with M2 along with either a tumor size of 2–3 cm, one recurrent tumor, or AFP ≤ 400 μg/L. Here, AFP is linked to neoplasm.