Recently there are some reports that serum NX-DCP level and the DCP/NX-DCP ratio calculated by dividing serum DCP level by serum NX-DCP level are useful for diagnosis and prognosis of HCC [10, 12, 14, 15]; however, little is known about tissue NX-DCP expression [16], and no large cohort study has been done. Here, ACE is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.