In vitro studies showed that the mesenchymal phenotype is more resistant to EGF‐TKI than the epithelial phenotype.45 Activated HGF/c‐Met pathway drives a mesenchymal phenotype in liver cancer has been reported.46 In our study, both morphologic observation and molecular marker detection by Western blot and immunofluorescence stain showed that HGF stimulation induced EMT in PC‐9 and HCC‐827 cells. This evidence concerns the gene EGF and hepatocellular carcinoma.