HGF and hepatocellular carcinoma: Multiple molecular pathways are implicated in HCC pathogenesis, including pathways involving vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR), platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) [2], and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-MET [3] and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway [4].