Rather, there was a significant reduction in TGF-β between fibrosis/cirrhosis patients compared with HCC (p value, <0.0001), suggesting that downregulation of TGF-β has the potential to distinguish between pre-neoplastic (fibrosis, cirrhosis) and the malignant transformation observed in HCC. This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.