In the subgroup analyses by source of controls, the results showed that EGF +61A/G polymorphism was significantly associated with HCC risk in hospital-based studies (G vs. A: OR = 1.439, P < 0.001, 95% CI: 1.205-1.719, I2 = 75.8%, Pheterogeneity < 0.001), but not in population-based studies (G vs. A: OR = 1.087, P = 0.202, 95% CI: 0.956-1.236, I2 = 0.0%, Pheterogeneity = 0.815). Here, EGF is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.