Although the association between TNF-<alpha> and HCC patient has not been clearly understood, our studies gave some indirect evidence on a different response to the TNF-<alpha> in CHB and HCC individuals, for the discard of HCC cases from the analysis could affect the results, especially in -863 CC vs. AA model, thus, caution should be paid in this result and more investigations are demanded to interpret the relationship among TNF-<alpha> and HCC and CHB. Here, TNF is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.