Using a 14‐fold increase as cutoff for EV‐LINC00853 expression, and 20 ng·mL−1 as cutoff for the AFP level, EV‐LINC00853 had a sensitivity of 93.75%, specificity of 89.77%, and 76.92% positive predictive value, while AFP showed only 9.38% sensitivity, 72.73% specificity, and 11.11% positive predictive value for the diagnosis of early‐stage HCC (mUICC stage I). This evidence concerns the gene AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma.