CTSH was identified to play an important role in the establishment and development of a functional tumor vasculature and increases the metastatic potential of human hepatoma cell lines.8–10 Expression of CTSH differs in breast carcinoma11, colorectal cancer12, melanoma13, head and neck carcinoma14,15, glioma16 and prostate cancer17 and from that in normal tissue. This evidence concerns the gene CTSH and hepatocellular carcinoma.