Univariate analysis revealed that alpha fetoprotein (HR = 1.526, P = 0.047), tumour size (HR = 1.475, P = 0.029), intrahepatic metastasis (HR = 2.191, P = 0.030), TNM stage (HR = 2.857, P = 0.034), vascular invasion(HR = 2.481, P = 0.029), tumour differentiation (HR = 1.753,P = 0.031) and PKM2 expression (HR = 2.240, P = 0.028) were significantly associated with DSS in cirrhotic HCC (Table 2). This evidence concerns the gene PKM and hepatocellular carcinoma.