In the HCC cohort, the following factors had a significant effect on DFS: higher tumour HNF-1β expression (P = 0.001), higher tumour size (P = 0.010), higher TNM stage (P = 0.005), higher Edmondson grade (P = 0.021), and cirrhosis (P = 0.001). Here, HNF1B is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.