Predictive performance of serum myostatin levels for development of HCC was higher in patients with Child–Pugh class A than that in those with Child–Pugh B and C: Time-dependent AUROC of serum myostatin levels for development of HCC within 5 years was 0.80 (95% CI 0.75–0.84) in patients with Child–Pugh class A (n = 343), 0.77 (95% CI 0.73–0.81) in patients with Child–Pugh class B (n = 464), and 0.75 (95% CI 0.70–0.80) in patients with Child–Pugh class C (n = 270). This evidence concerns the gene MSTN and hepatocellular carcinoma.