Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide [1, 2], and although ultrasound and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels are monitored in high-risk populations for early detection of HCC, most patients are diagnosed with advanced stage, which seriously affects the prognosis of patients with HCC [3–5]. This evidence concerns the gene AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma.