Overall, while taking into account the important size limits of this study with regard to the HCC arm (only 17 patients studied in total, of which 10 NAFLD), our findings seem to support the above-mentioned evidence, and would highlight the role of PN as a soluble biomarker potentially useful for the management of HCC patients, similarly to what already happens in current clinical practice for alpha-fetoprotein, as would be suggested by the good correlation between the two proteins that we found in our casuistry. This evidence concerns the gene AFP and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.