The mt‐HBT, which incorporates three methylation markers (HOXA1, TSPYL5, and B3GALT6), AFP and sex, demonstrated an overall sensitivity of 88%, early stage sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 87% in an independent cohort consisting of 156 HCC cases and 245 controls [35]. This evidence concerns the gene HOXA1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.