These initial findings were replicated in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-term Treatment against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) trial cohort; hepatitis C patients with an Ishak fibrosis stage of 3 or higher and possessing the EGF 61 G/G genotype experienced a doubling HCC risk relative to their counterparts with the EGF 61A/A genotype [31]. This evidence concerns the gene EGF and hepatitis C virus infection.