Several studies have screened miRNAs in HCC tissues and in the plasma or sera of patients with HCC.16 Serum miR-1 and miR-122 are prognostic markers of HCC.17 MiR-101 functions as a tumor suppressor by directly targeting Nemo-like kinase in liver cancers.18 In this study, we attempted to determine miRNAs that have key roles in HCC occurrence by screening miRNAs in the plasma of patients with HCC who had a family history of HBV-associated HCC. Here, NLK is linked to liver cancer.