Univariate analysis of the training cohort identified several variables significantly associated with early recurrence of HCC following LT, including age, BCLC stage, Ki-67 proliferation index, MVI, histological grade, maximum tumor diameter, presence of a pseudocapsule, and peritumoral enhancement during the arterial phase (all p < 0.05). Here, MKI67 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.