Patients who exhibited high proportions of CD203a expressing Th17 cells (CD4+, CCR6+ CCR4+) post surgery were found to be at a sixfold increased risk (HR 6.38, 95% Cl 1.51–27.00) of HCC recurrence and had a median recurrence-free survival of 233 days (p < 0.05), compared to patients with low CD203a expressing Th17 cells (CD4+ CCR6+ CCR4+). The gene discussed is CD4; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.