By detecting EpCAM and Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) expression status in conjunction with transcriptome analysis in HCC tumor specimens, Yamashita et al. distinguished two HCC subtypes for prognostic prediction, and they are EpCAM+AFP+ HCC (referred to as hepatic stem cell-like HCC; HpSC-HCC) with enhanced metastatic properties and poor outcome and EpCAM−AFP− HCC (referred to as mature hepatocyte-like HCC; MH-HCC) with good prognosis [71, 72]. This evidence concerns the gene AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma.