TP53 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In the case of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), integration of the X gene (HBx) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) into the host genome and the ability of the mutant HBx protein to bind to p53 and abrogate p53-mediated apoptosis are implicated in the etiology and molecular pathogenesis [25,26].