SPP1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Plasma OPN levels were progressively increased and are correlated with the degree of deterioration of functional liver status in terms of advanced Child-Pugh (Spearman rho [ρ] value of 0.533; p-value <0.001) and MELD score (Spearman rho [ρ] value of 0.518; p-value <0.001), but the same was observed regardless of the presence or absence of HCC as shown in Fig. 1.