ALB and hepatocellular carcinoma: On the other hand, the number of minor populations based on mutations in the polymerized human serum albumin (pHSA) domain within the pre-S2 region was significantly higher in OBI-related HCC compared with HBsAg-positive HCC (2.44 ± 2.30 vs. 0.80 ± 1.48, P = 0.039).