Previous research suggested that patients with HCC and higher serum AFP level may require comprehensive therapy besides surgical resection and close follow-up.35,36 Zhou et al.37 analysed the prognostic roles of ALT and AST in patients with HCC and B-type hepatitis-associated cirrhosis, and found that only AST was marginally significant in multivariate tests for early recurrence and post-recurrence survival. This evidence concerns the gene AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma.