A 34-year-old man is admitted with abdominal pain. This settles and his liver function is good. His platelets are normal. Two years ago he was told he had a small cyst on his liver, but it was nothing to worry about. Otherwise, he has no past medical history. Ultrasound detects a large mass in his liver. A liver screen confirms hepatitis B infection, although his core DNA PCR level is just 30. His AFP level is 2. He has a triple phase CT scan.

q26
Which of the following statements is true: