The strategy of TACE + sorafenib is now being intensively investigated. It is a safe approach with significant beneficial effect on TTP in some studies, but the beneficial effect on OS remains uncertain. In the present study, we hypothesized that the GALNT14 genotype might play a role in this issue. Our pilot study indicated that GALNT14 "TT" genotype was associated with a favorable complete response rate in patients treated by TACE alone. This genotype was present in ~ 25% of Chinese population coming from Taiwan, Colorado (US), or Beijing (China), and in ~ 7% of Italian population. But it was present in ~ 50% of Japanese population. The lower percentage of a TACE - favorable genotype in Chinese and Italian population could explain the different results between Japanese and Chinese/Italian clinical trials. It is possible that in a population with higher percentage of TACE - favorable genotype (GALNT14 "TT"), the beneficial effect of sorafenib adjuvant treatment might not be detected. In this study, we proposed to examine the TACE + sorafenib effect in patients with GALNT14 "non-TT" genotype, a TACE - unfavorable genotype.