KITLG and hepatocellular carcinoma: The immune-risk model, based on expression of SPP1, BRD8, NDRG1, KITLG, HSPA4, TRAF3, ITGAV, and MAP4K2, can efficiently differentiate HCC patients into high and low immune-risk subpopulations, and in combination with tumor stages, the derived nomogram can precisely predict the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival among HCC patients, providing a tool for prognostic prediction.