HnRNPA3 was found to increase gradually in the progression from cirrhosis, dysplastic nodules (DNs) and well-differentiated HCC to progressed HCC, and its expression level could be used to differentiate between high-grade dysplastic nodule (HGDN) and early HCC (eHCC), particularly in combination with glypican 3 (GPC3), with a specificity of 100%. The gene discussed is GPC3; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.