The addition of AFP to PTX3 significantly increased the performance of PTX3 for discriminating AFP positive HCC from cirrhosis [AUC (95%CI) 0.931 (0.865–0.971), sensitivity 81.33%, specificity 100%, Fig. 2E] or chronic HBV infection without HCC [AUC (95%CI) 0.942 (0.892–0.973), sensitivity 81.3%, specificity 96.2%, Fig. 2F, Table S6]. Here, AFP is linked to Cirrhosis.