A very recent Australian investigation [24] compared serum MK, alpha-fetoprotein, dickkopf-1, and osteopontin for hepatocellular carcinoma diagnosis, which revealed a complementary role of MK and alpha-fetoprotein for hepatocellular carcinoma detection, yet an increased diagnostic power in alpha-fetoprotein negative situation was found for MK only, rather than other biomarkers. The gene discussed is SPP1; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.