Meanwhile, a significant negative correlation (Spearman r = -0.8671, P = 0.0003, n = 12) was observed between the IC50 values of sorafenib in these HCC cell lines and their pERK density values (Figure 4C), indicating that the effects of sorafenib on cell proliferation were significantly correlated with basal pERK levels in these HCC cell lines. The gene discussed is EIF2AK3; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.