ADIPOQ and hepatitis B virus infection: The general data of the present study showed a significantly higher incidence of HCC in males than in females, which was consistent with the study of Pinheiro et al. [18] and might be related to the following genetic aspects: the higher incidence of hepatitis B infection in males, the gender specificity of estrogen and its receptors with HCC [19], and the higher adiponectin in females compared to males, which show anti-HCC effect [20].