The AUC was 0.93 (95% CI, 0.86–1.00; sensitivity = 94.4%, specificity = 88.5%, Fig. 5d), which outperformed the most widely used serum biomarker AFP (AUCs of 0.69, 95% CI, 0.55–0.83; sensitivity = 66.7%, specificity = 72.0%) for early-stage HCC detection. This evidence concerns the gene AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma.