AFP and Cirrhosis: Additionally, elevatedAFP levels are observed in only 20% of HCC patients.5 Furthermore, it has been observed that cirrhotic or HCCpatients may exhibit abnormal AFP levels.67 Patients with liver cirrhosis have ahigher risk of developing HCC, as approximately 90% of HCC cases arelinked to long-standing cirrhosis.8 Theprogression of cirrhosis to HCC is often fatal due to the lack ofreliable biomarkers for early diagnosis during the later stages ofHCC development.