AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma: We first recruited 27 early-stage primary HCC patients, of whom 8 patients had serum AFP ≤ 7 ng/mL, and then we additionally recruited 15 HCs, 19 HBV-related cirrhosis patients, 11 CHB patents (without cirrhosis), and 24 early-stage primary HCC patients with serum AFP ≤ 7 ng/mL.