Patients diagnosed with HCC were older (57 years vs. 55 years; p = 0.003) and had a higher proportion of male patients (94.9% vs. 82.2%; p = 0.002), higher body mass indices (BMIs; 24.1 vs. 22.9; p = 0.009), lower median platelet counts (93 vs. 107 × 109/L; p = 0.03), higher Toronto HCC risk index (THRI; 255 vs. 236; p < 0.001), higher fibrosis-4 indices (FIB-4; 8.0 vs. 6.4; p = 0.03), and higher serum myostatin levels (6.1 vs. 3.2 ng/mL; p < 0.001) compared with those without HCC. The gene discussed is MSTN; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.