The frequency of the CC genotype among HCC patients was higher than that in the control group, implying that the cirrhotic patients with the CC genotype or C allele containing genotypes (CT and CC) may have a higher risk of HCC. However, in a subsequent analysis of the association between this polymorphism and clinicopathological characteristics, there was an association between rs11614913 genotype and tumour size (p=0.046), but not with tumour number, grade, stage, invasiveness or Child-Pugh grade. In a genotype-phenotype correlation analysis using 59 tumour tissues of liver, rs11614913 CC or carrying at least one C allele was associated with significantly increased mature miR-196a expression (p=0.006 or =0.002).