In detecting early stage (BCLC 0-A) HCC, AFP remained superior (0.79; 95% CI 0.69–0.89) to OPN (0.57; 95% CI 0.45–0.70) and MDK (0.63; 95% CI 0.52–0.73) (Fig 2B). The gene discussed is AFP; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.