Although the Child-Pugh score, which includes albumin levels and prothrombin time, serum bilirubin, ascites, and encephalopathy, is widely used in various staging systems for HCC, the accuracy of the Child-Pugh score in the assessment of noncirrhotic disease is doubtful as it may not exactly reflect the hepatic function in this group of patients. The gene discussed is F2; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.