Kozuka R, et al. - In this investigation involving 127 Japanese patients, researchers examined the risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly host factors, during entecavir (ETV) treatment. Univariate and multivariate analyses have been investigated for clinical factors, hepatic fibrosis markers, and HCC-related SNPs. During the follow-up period, a total of 10 patients developed HCC. According to the log-rank test, liver fibrosis, age, platelet count, α-fetoprotein, type IV collagen, fibrosis-4 index, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQA1/DRB1-SNP were significantly linked to HCC development. AA genotype in the HLA-DQA1/DRB1 gene and cirrhosis were significantly linked to HCC development in multivariate analysis. The findings suggested that patients with AA genotype in the gene or cirrhosis of HLA-DQA1/DRB1 should be carefully monitored during ETV treatment as a population potentially at higher risk of HCC.