BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) incidence continues to rise, yet treatment options remain limited. Despite recent advances in early screening methods, most patients are still diagnosed at an advanced stage with poor prognosis. Therefore, accurate assessment of prognostic risk using molecular biomarkers is essential for the development of personalized treatment strategies. AIM To investigate the correlation between serum aldo-keto reductase family 1 member B10 (AKR1B10) levels and clini