The resulting data suggested that the DNA hypermethylation of CpG islands around TSS of SFRP1 can partially contribute to the down-regulation of SFRP1 in some HCC specimens, although other mechanisms, such as LOH and/or other epigenetic alterations, may also contribute to the down-regulation of SFRP1 in HCCs. Here, SFRP1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.