AFP and hepatocellular carcinoma: ,[12], [13], [14] Notably, the GALAD score, combining gender (biological sex) and age plus a three-serum biomarker panel (AFP-L3, AFP, and PIVKA-II), has demonstrated good clinical performance for the differentiation of HCC and CLD, superior to that of single biomarkers in multiple case-control and prospective phase II/III biomarker studies.8