Taking into account the histopathological grade of the tumors, HCC patients presenting tumors classified as grade G3-G4 displayed significantly higher levels of TNFα mRNA in classical and intermediate monocytes at T0 in comparison to HCC patients with G1-G2 tumors; non-classical monocytes displayed the same tendency, without reaching statistical significance (Fig. 2b). The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.