The transition of epithelial cells to a mesenchymal phenotype (EMT) plays an important role in the migration and invasion of various cancer cells, including HCC.15 EMT is characterized by the decreased expression of epithelial markers, such as E-cadherin, β-catenin, and cytokeratin, as well as the increased expression of mesenchymal markers including ICAM-1, vimentin and fibronectin.16 Therefore, EMT is one of the main molecular mechanisms involved during oncogenesis to promote cancer metastasis. This evidence concerns the gene VIM and cancer.