The correlations between core gene expression levels and patient prognosis in 182 total HCC samples were further assessed, revealing that BIRC5 expression (HR = 2, logrank P = 6.7e−05) was correlated with worse overall survival (OS) for HCC patients, as was that of DLGAP5 (HR = 1.9, logrank P = 0.00039), DTL (HR = 1.7, logrank P = 0.0049), FEN1 (HR = 1.5, logrank P = 0.022), KIAA0101 (HR = 1.7, logrank P = 0.002), KIF4A (HR = 1.8, logrank P = 0.001), MCM2 (HR = 1.7, logrank P = 0.0022), MKI67 (HR = 1.9, logrank P = 0.00045), and RFC4 (HR = 1.7, logrank P = 0.004) (Fig. 4). Here, MKI67 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.