Histologically, CA-IX expression exhibited a significant correlation with larger tumor size (>3 cm; odds ratio (OR) = 2.46; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.29–4.73; P = 0.0031) and high tumor grade (grade III-IV; OR = 5.03; 95% CI = 2.63–9.71; P = 0.0005), but not liver cirrhosis. Here, CA9 is linked to neoplasm.