Risk Factors and Molecular Genomics of U.S. Patients With Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

* For both experimental subjects and controls:

  1. Patients between older than 18 years of age of all ethnic backgrounds and genders.
  2. Patients with chronic liver disease
* For Experimental Subjects Only:

  1. Patients with HCC with a hepatic mass larger or equal to 5cm
  2. Patients with HCC with a hepatic mass lesion confirmed by fine needle aspirate (FNA) or by pathology in the cases of surgical resection
  3. Patients with HCC with a hepatic mass lesion with characteristic CT or MRI or angiographic appearance.
* For Controls Only:

Patients with chronic liver disease without evidence of HCC confirmed by either :

1\. A normal AFP level

2\. a negative imaging study (ultrasound, CT, or MR imaging).

3\. Negative liver cancer on explants.

\*Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients who declined to participate in the study
2. Patients with a history of HIV infection
3. Patients with concurrent advanced malignancy of non-hepatic origin.
4. Patients with significant use of androgenic steroid.
5. Patients with exposure to vinyl chloride.