GPT and hepatocellular carcinoma: Many other factors are known to be associated with increased risk of HCC among patients with HCV or cirrhosis, including low platelet count, increased aspartate transaminase–to–alanine aminotransferase (AST:ALT) ratio, male sex, and older age.6 Among patients with HCV-related cirrhosis, the annual risk of HCC varies from less than 1% to more than 5%, depending on a number of readily available, well-described risk factors.