This gene did not show a difference in allele-specific expression of the Neanderthal allele between patients with liver cancer and unaffected individuals with a median allele balance of 0.524 in liver cancer patients and 0.522 in unaffected individuals, suggesting that the somatic mutations are largely not affecting regulation of PCSK9. Instead, these mutations do not appear to have a functional effect as all of the somatic mutations in this gene had a modifier impact and were located in noncoding regions. The gene discussed is PCSK9; the disease is liver cancer.