The Child Pugh class, ECOG PS, the presence of single HCC (<5 cm versus others), the site of the PVT (large versus small veins), the presence of extra-hepatic metastasis, serum creatinine (≥1.2 mg/dl), and AFP (>400 ng/dl) were selected in building the prognostic staging system. The gene discussed is AFP; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.