AFP and neoplasm: To evaluate whether distinct mtDNA haplogroups were associated with specific clinical characteristics of HCC, we analyzed several clinical characteristics including alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, tumor size, and biomarkers of liver function such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum albumin (ALB), and total bilirubin (TBIL) levels.