AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma: In order to further understand the prognostic value of TGF-β1/ELF expression for HCC after resection, the relationships between the expression of these proteins and 16 clinico-pathologic characteristics, such as age, gender, HCC family, HBsAg, ALT, AFP, cirrhosis, ascites, PVTT, tumor size, tumor number, tumor differentiation, tumor encapsulation, TNM stage, recurrence and complication, were analyzed.