As indicated in Fig. 2B, the proportion of CD4+IL-17+ Th17 cells was significantly higher in the different HCC tumor stage groups than in the control group; moreover, the proportion of CD4+IL-17+ Th17 cells was significantly higher in the advanced (stage III-IV) HCC group than in the early (stage I-II) HCC group. The gene discussed is IL17A; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.