They were subjected to: ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, total bilirubin, INR, total cholesterol, albumin, platelet count, cancer antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), cancer antigen 125 (CA 125), cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3), haptoglobin, alpha-2-macroglobulin, apolipoprotein A1, abdominal ultrasound, liver biopsy and histological staging of hepatic fibrosis using the METAVIR system. The gene discussed is MUC16; the disease is cancer.