In the univariable analysis, higher DNA methylation of these four hypomethylated up-regulated oncogenes was associated with significantly higher OS in HCC patients (CDC5L-cg05671347, HR = 0.466, 95% CI: 0.298–0.727, P=9.5E-05; MERTK-cg08279316, HR = 0.671, 95% CI: 0.463–0.971, P=0.00027; RHOA-cg05657651, HR = 0.567, 95% CI: 0.402–0.801, P=0.0015; YBX1-cg16306148, HR = 0.518, 95% CI: 0.364–0.739, P=0.00044) (Figure 5A2,B2,C2,D2). The gene discussed is MERTK; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.