None of healthy volunteers had AFP mRNA-expressing cells in their PB, and one (5%) of patients with chronic HBV or HCV cirrhosis without HCC, had AFP mRNA-expressing cells in his PB pre-operatively; these frequencies were significantly different from pre-operative patients with HCC (p = 0.013, p = 0.030, respectively). This evidence concerns the gene AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma.