In addition, the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 gene (ALDH2) polymorphism affects the development of HCC in patients with alcoholism with or without viral hepatitis18,19,20,21 and in patients without alcoholism.22,23 Some studies24,25,26,27 have demonstrated that the ALDH2 rs671 polymorphism is not associated with HCC in East Asian individuals. The gene discussed is ALDH2; the disease is alcohol dependence.