Sorafenib also sensitises resistant hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCCs) to TRAIL-induced apoptosis in TRAIL-resistant HCCs by downregulation of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 (pSTAT3) and subsequently reduced the expression levels of STAT3-related proteins, such as Mcl-1, survivin and cyclin D1 (Chen et al, 2010). Here, BIRC5 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.