In addition, plasma levels of hsa_circ_0001445 could be a good diagnostic marker for differentiating HCC patients from healthy controls as well as from patients with cirrhosis or hepatitis B. Furthermore, plasma hsa_circ_0001445 and serum AFP levels, when used in combination, served as a remarkably sensitive diagnostic method for the detection of HCC. The gene discussed is AFP; the disease is hepatitis B virus infection.