Interestingly, CPEB4 upregulation was associated more with early-stage HCC (Fig 5C, N vs T: 0.22 ± 0.05 vs 0.52 ± 0.08 at stage 1; 0.20 ± 0.04 vs 0.54 ± 0.06 at stage 2) than late-stage HCC (N vs T: 0.16 ± 0.04 vs 0.42 ± 0.09 at stage 3; 0.20 ± 0.06 vs 0.37 ± 0.09 at stages 3–4). This evidence concerns the gene CPEB4 and hepatocellular carcinoma.