Additionally, we also analysed the correlation between the expression of tGP73 and tumour clinicopathological characteristics (including HBV infection, serum AFP level, degree of tissue differentiation, vascular invasion, tumour TNM stage, liver cirrhosis, tumour number, tumour size, and tumour recurrence), which are highly correlated with the aggressiveness and metastasis of HCC [32, 33]. The gene discussed is AFP; the disease is cirrhosis of liver.