Study	Year of publication	Study design	Country	Patients	Comparison	Outcomes
Zhang et al[@26252]	2004	Cluster randomized controlled trial	China	Adults aged 35-59 years with hepatitis B virus infection or a history of chronic hepatitis	Alpha-fetoprotein and ultrasound every 6 months versus no screening	Number of HCC detected, HCC related mortality, 5-year survival
Chen et al[@26253]	2003	Cluster randomized controlled trial	China	Men aged 30-69 who were chronic carriers of the hepatitis-B virus during the period 1989-1995	Alpha-fetoprotein every 6 months versus no screening	Number of HCC detected, HCC related mortality and all-cause mortality
Pocha et al[@26254]	2013	Randomised controlled trial	United States of America	Patients aged 18-70. Child’s A cirrhosis, documented cirrhosis, potential candidates for HCC treatment if diagnosed	Ultrasound and alpha-fetoprotein every 6 months versus annual CT plus alpha-fetoprotein every 6 months	Number of HCC detected, HCC related mortality and all-cause mortality
Sherman et al[@26255]	1995	Randomised controlled trial	Canada	Adults aged over 18 years old and hepatitis B surface antigen-positive for more than 6 months	Serial alpha-fetoprotein alone every 6 months versus alpha-fetoprotein in combination with ultrasound every 6 months	Incidence of HCC is reported but not reported separately for each arm of the study
Trinchet et al[@26256]	2011	Cluster randomized controlled trial	France	Adults aged 18 years or older, histologically proven cirrhosis related to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, alcohol or hereditary hemochromatosis, Child-Pugh A or B	Ultrasound every 3- months versus ultrasound every 6-months	Number of HCC detected, all-cause mortality, HCC related mortality, 5-year survival
Wang et al[@26257]	2013	Cluster randomized controlled trial	Taiwan	Adults aged 40 years or older, platelets less than or equal to 150x 10⁹/L, positive hepatitis B surface antigen or positive hepatitis C antibody	Ultrasound every 4- months versus ultrasound every 12-months	Number of HCC detected, tumor size, 4-year survival

Zhang et al[@26252]

2004

Cluster randomized controlled trial

China

Adults aged 35-59 years with hepatitis B virus infection or a history of chronic hepatitis

Alpha-fetoprotein and ultrasound every 6 months versus no screening

Number of HCC detected, HCC related mortality, 5-year survival

Chen et al[@26253]

2003

Cluster randomized controlled trial

China

Men aged 30-69 who were chronic carriers of the hepatitis-B virus during the period 1989-1995

Alpha-fetoprotein every 6 months versus no screening

Number of HCC detected, HCC related mortality and all-cause mortality

Pocha et al[@26254]

2013

Randomised controlled trial

United States of America

Patients aged 18-70. Child’s A cirrhosis, documented cirrhosis, potential candidates for HCC treatment if diagnosed

Ultrasound and alpha-fetoprotein every 6 months versus annual CT plus alpha-fetoprotein every 6 months

Number of HCC detected, HCC related mortality and all-cause mortality

Sherman et al[@26255]

1995

Randomised controlled trial

Canada

Adults aged over 18 years old and hepatitis B surface antigen-positive for more than 6 months

Serial alpha-fetoprotein alone every 6 months versus alpha-fetoprotein in combination with ultrasound every 6 months

Incidence of HCC is reported but not reported separately for each arm of the study

Trinchet et al[@26256]

2011

Cluster randomized controlled trial

France

Adults aged 18 years or older, histologically proven cirrhosis related to hepatitis B, hepatitis C, alcohol or hereditary hemochromatosis, Child-Pugh A or B

Ultrasound every 3- months versus ultrasound every 6-months

Number of HCC detected, all-cause mortality, HCC related mortality, 5-year survival

Wang et al[@26257]

2013

Cluster randomized controlled trial

Taiwan

Adults aged 40 years or older, platelets less than or equal to 150x 10⁹/L, positive hepatitis B surface antigen or positive hepatitis C antibody

Ultrasound every 4- months versus ultrasound every 12-months

Number of HCC detected, tumor size, 4-year survival