Therefore, the identification of more specific and sensitive biomarkers for its early diagnosis and treatment remains an urgent need.<h4>Methods</h4>Total RNAs from paired HBV-derived HCC tumors and adjacent peritumor tissues (APTs) were subjected to RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HCC tumors and APTs were selected and verified.<h4>Results</h4>We identified 166 DEGs and found that eight top-ranked and verified DEGs (TK1, CTTN, CEP72, TRIP13, FTH1, FLAD1, CHRM2, AMBP) all contained putative OCT4 binding motifs in their promoter regions. Here, TK1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.