AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma: Correlation analysis results (Table 2) showed that plasma hsa_circ_0001445 levels in HCC patients were associated with serum AFP levels (P = 0.009) (Figure 3(b)), while no statistically significant relationship was detected between hsa_circ_0001445 and gender, age, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, or other biochemical indices.