AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma: Both hTERT mRNA and AFP mRNA expressions showed stepwise up-regulation with disease progression and the quantification was significantly higher in HCC than in LC, CH, and healthy individuals (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001 in hTERT; p = 0.011, p = 0.044 and p < 0.0001 in AFP, Fig. 2).