Ho SY, Liu PH, Hsu CY, et al. - For the stratification of survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within Milan criteria undergoing nontransplant therapy, researchers constructed as well as validated an albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade–based prognostic model. Based on treatment modalities, they allocated 1,655 patients to the derivation and validation cohort. In the derivation cohort, poor survival was independently predicted by age 65 years or older, serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) level > 100 ng/mL, ascites, performance status 1 to 4, ALBI grade 2, and ALBI grade 3, in the Cox multivariate model. With the sum of 5 variables, they developed an ALBI-based prognostic model with a total of 0 to 6 points: 1 point each for age 65 years or older, AFP > 100 ng/mL, presence of ascites, performance status 1 to 4, and ALBI grade 2, and 2 points for ALBI grade 3. Findings revealed the feasibility of this proposed ALBI grade–based model for predicting survival in HCC patients within the Milan criteria. Also, this model can aid the detection of high-risk patients who require timely liver transplantation.