TNF and hepatocellular carcinoma: To determine the general immune status of HCC patients, we used flow cytometry to measure the frequencies of various immune cell subsets, including CD4+ T cells (Th1, Th17, and Treg cells), CD8+ T cells, NK cells, and NKT cells, and cytokine levels (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, IFN-γ and TNF-α) in peripheral blood from 51 stage III HCC patients, 28 stage I HCC patients before treatment and 20 healthy donors.