As shown in Table 1, genders, nationalities, HBsAg, anti-HCV, cirrhosis, drinking and smoking status, tumor number and AFP levels were not associated with survival, while Cbx4 expression (P=5.4 × 10−9 for OS, P=0.001 for DFS), microvessel density (MVD; P=5.6 × 10−5 for OS, P=0.028 for DFS) and histological grade (P=2.6 × 10−6 for OS, P=0.041 for DFS) were among the significant prognostic factors for both OS and DFS in HCC patients. This evidence concerns the gene AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma.