Gene expression for each of these 13 candidates is significantly dysregulated in liver disease (MASLD and cirrhosis) and/or HCC (Fig. 7G), with dysregulated levels of several of these genes associated with overall patient survival in HCC (i.e., CDKN2C, IGF1, MCM4, MCM6, NAT10, ORC4, SMARCAD1, TAF6, and TRAF2) (fig. This evidence concerns the gene TRAF2 and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.