ALB and hepatocellular carcinoma: Incorporation of these 7 variables in a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model gave rise to 5 variables which were statistically independent risk factors of HCC development and used to construct the nomogram (Additional file 2: Fig. S1 and Additional file 1: Table S2), The variables were LSM value (HR 1.129, 95% CI 1.083–1.177, P < 0.001), PLT (HR 0.994, 95% CI 0.988–0.999, P = 0.021), sex (HR 3.235, 95% CI 1.541–6.790, P = 0.002), and age (HR 1.037, 95% CI 1.010–1.064, P = 0.007) in addition to ALB (HR 0.940, 95% CI 0.899–0.983, P = 0.006) (Table 2).