The expression of HULC and MALAT1 in HCC cases with higher serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels (>20 ng/mL) (HULC: 0.030 [0.00007 to 1.7], n = 64; MALAT1: 0.36 [0.031 to 11.1, n = 64) were significantly lower than those in the HCC samples with lower serum AFP values (<20 ng/mL) (HULC: 0.061 [0.0007 to 4.1], P = 0.019, n = 80; MALAT1: 0.88 [0.058 to 23.1], P = 0.0036, n = 81) (Fig. 2e and f). Here, AFP is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.