Another important clinical implication of the current study is the discovery of a new panel of glycopeptides as biomarkers for early-stage HCC (one glycopeptide with an AUC of >90%, three with AUC >80% and 13 with AUC >75%), which are able to improve on the diagnostic values of commonly used biomarkers, such as AFP. Here, AFP is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.