AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma: Next, we compared the minimum tumor detectability between plasma miR-224 and conventional serum tumor markers, such as PIVKA-II and AFP, in 54 consecutive HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine (First Cohort) and 33 consecutive HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy at Kyoto Second Red Cross Hospital (Second Cohort).