The HCC patients with high IGF-1R mRNA expression were more often associated with poor tumour differentiation (Edmondson grade III–IV) and tumour embolus of portal vein (TEPV) compared with the patients with low IGF-1R mRNA expression, whereas there were no differences between the high and low IGF-1R mRNA expression groups regarding age, sex, tumor size, and AFP level (Table 1). The gene discussed is AFP; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.