EPCAM and hepatocellular carcinoma: HCC tumor samples from CHB patients express elevated levels of LPC gene transcripts (EpCAM, CK19, AFP) and these LPCs are tumorigenic in immunodeficient NOD/SCID mice, suggesting that they may constitute tumor-initiating cells.42, 51 Hepatic ectopic lymphoid structures have been associated to LPCs with poor HCC prognosis.44