Stages used to describe prognosis of liver cancer based on occurrence of 4 adverse criteria bilirubin > 3 g/dl, albumin < 3 g/dl, tumor > 50% of liver volume, and presence of ascites. Stage 1, presence of 0Ð1 criteria; stage 2, presence of 1Ð2 criteria; stage 3, presence of 3Ð4 criteria.