AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma: ROC curve analysis indicated that the optimal diagnostic threshold for ESPL1 in HBV-HCC is 345.7 ng/L, with AUC values for ESPL1, PIVKA-II, and AFP being 0.797 (95% CI: [0.708-0.886]), 0.788 (95% CI: [0.718-0.858]), and 0.572 (95% CI: [0.523-0.624]).