Using the Kaplan–Meier method, univariate analysis showed that seven factors, including cirrhosis, macroscopic and microscopic vascular invasion, histological grading, CK19/GPC3 sub-typing, AFP level >261.6 ng/mL and tumor diameter >3.6 cm were significantly associated with RFS of patients in the training cohort (Fig. 3). This evidence concerns the gene AFP and Cirrhosis.