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The study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of serum PIVKA-II levels for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the correlation between PIVKA-II levels and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA levels. The authors found that elevated serum PIVKA-II levels were significantly associated with early-stage HCC, and that the combination of PIVKA-II and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) improved the diagnostic accuracy for HCC. They also found a negative correlation between PIVKA-II levels and HBV DNA levels. The authors concluded that serum PIVKA-II levels could be a useful tool than AFP for early detection of HCC in HBV-infected patients.