These previous studies showed that IFN-α suppresses the proliferation of HCC cells that express type I IFN receptor type 2 (IFNAR2), and that the expression of IFNAR2 in HCC tissues was significantly associated with a clinical response to IFN-α/5-FU therapy, suggesting that IFNAR2 expression might be useful in predicting the clinical response to such therapy (Ota et al, 2005; Nagano et al, 2007a). The gene discussed is IFNAR2; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.