HOXD13 and hepatocellular carcinoma: However, it should be noted that this study had relatively small sample size of patient population, especially the HBV-related HCC patients with both sPD-1 levels being examined before and after tumor resection, and it has not investigated the potential predictive value of sPD-1 in relation to the treatment responses to antiviral therapy or immunotherapy of diseases associated with chronic HBV infection.