Polymorphisms in genes related to DNA repair mechanisms, including BER (e.g., XRCC1), NER (e.g., ERCC2), and DSBR (e.g., XRCC3), may be instrumental in carcinogenesis, drug responses, treatment efficiency, and survival in HCC, thus affecting prognosis. The gene discussed is XRCC1; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.