Although the cohort size was very small, Debes J.D. et al. measured pretreatment serum levels of a variety of immune mediators in CHC patients who underwent DAA therapy, showing that nine cytokines, including MIG, IL22, TRAIL, APRIL, VEGF, IL3, TWEAK, SCF and IL21, could identify the patients who developed de novo HCC with an AUROC > 0.8 [28]. The gene discussed is IL21; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.