MBL2 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Recently, several multi-center studies with large sample sizes have revealed associations between other SNPs and HCC risk, while MBL2 polymorphisms have been associated with leprosy in the Han Chinese population.6 Moreover, a study has been conducted assessing the association between MBL2 polymorphisms and HCC,7 although the sample size was relatively small and no data about HBV-free populations were available.