STMN1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Here, we demonstrated for the first time that the expression of stathmin and EF1α are closely related to telomere dysfunction, DNA damage, and inactivation of p21WAF1/CIP1 in the defined lesions of HBV-related multistep hepatocarcinogenesis, including liver cirrhosis, low-grade DNs, high-grade DNs, and HCC.