Furthermore, we showed that HCC patients with worse liver function have significantly higher plasma levels of sgp130 at baseline and after one to two fractions of SBRT, and that high circulating levels of sIL-6R and sgp130 at baseline as well as high levels of sIL-6R after one to two fractions of SBRT are associated with increased risk of death at 3 months after completion of SBRT. This evidence concerns the gene IL6ST and hepatocellular carcinoma.