Furthermore, in a multivariate Cox model, including serum AFP, tumor stage, tumor grading, presence of cirrhosis, gender, age, GRB2 expression, GAB1 expression and combined GRB2/GAB1 expression, we found that GRB2 expression (both P=0.01, Table 2), GAB1 expression (both P=0.01, Table 2) and combined GRB2/GAB1 expression (both P=0.001, Table 2) were independent poor prognostic factors for both 5-year disease-free survival and 5-year overall survival in HCC. This evidence concerns the gene AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma.