In the training cohort, patients who experienced HCC recurrence within 1 year had a higher rate of heavy drinking (P = 0.029), higher CTP grades (P = 0.025), a higher rate of treatment with TACE (P = 0.037), higher GGT levels (P = 0.023), lower TP levels (P = 0.032) and higher rates of AFP positivity (P = 0.003) than patients who did not have disease recurrence. This evidence concerns the gene AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma.