The HCC tissue level of miR-497 was associated with tumor size (P = 0.047), TNM staging (P = 0.046), differentiation (P = 0.011), and metastasis (P = 0.002), but it was independent of gender, age, α-fetoprotein (AFP) level, condition of virus infection, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level, and cirrhosis (P > 0.05). Here, AFP is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.