Furthermore, even in very early HCC with low AFP levels (≤ 20 ng·mL−1), EV‐derived MALAT1, DLEU2, HOTTIP, and SNHG1 showed high positivity, suggesting the utility of EV‐lncRNAs as a diagnostic liquid biopsy biomarker for very early HCC, particularly in patients without AFP elevation. This evidence concerns the gene AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma.