SPP1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Similarly, high expression of peritumoral M-CSF and the density of macrophages, which correlated with a large tumor size, presence of intrahepatic metastasis and a high TNM stage, were associated with HCC progression, disease recurrence and poor survival after curative hepatectomy [105], while the combination of tumor-derived osteopontin (OPN) and peritumoral infiltrating macrophages was associated with a high incidence of early recurrence and poor survival for early-stage HCC, after curative resection [106].