Innovative studies in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have identified improved methods to predict patient outcomes. Research highlights include the discovery of prognostic power in alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) trends under lenvatinib treatment, and the development of AI models capable of forecasting five-year survival with high accuracy. Additionally, novel inflammation-based nomograms for cervical cancer and emerging terbium-based biosensors for liver cancer detection showcase strides in biomarker applications. These advancements offer clinicians nuanced tools for patient stratification and optimized therapeutic decision-making.