The non-structural protein 5B (NS5B)-mediated loss of retinoblastoma protein (Rb) expression likely renders infected hepatocytes unable to mount a normal response to DNA damage and can be expected to promote genomic instability and increase the risk of HCC, while the apparent preservation of miR-122 expression in HCV-associated HCC, despite its loss in HCC due to other etiologies, may account for cancer development within HCV-infected hepatocytes. Here, RB1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.