SQSTM1 and cancer: Therefore, a specific inhibitor of the interaction between phosphorylated p62 and KEAP1 would enable KEAP1 to bind and rapidly degrade NRF2; such a drug would be expected to function as an anticancer drug, particularly for cancers such as HCC, in which phosphorylated p62 accumulates and inhibits KEAP1 activity and thereby increases NRF2 activity.