In HCC, Beclin-1 expression was negatively correlated with cirrhosis background (r = −0.216, P = 0.029), Edmondson grade (r = −0.249, P = 0.011), vascular invasion (r = −0.246, P = 0.012), PCNA (r = −0.242, P = 0.014), NET-1 (r = −0.245, P = 0.013), anti-apoptosis protein Bcl-2 (r = −0.245, P = 0.013) and MVD (r = −0.292, P = 0.003), and positively correlated with pro-apoptosis protein Bax (r = 0.242, P = 0.014). Here, PCNA is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.