HGF/Met pathway activation is known to have protective effects on hepatocytes.10 However, HGF/MET pathway activation has also been associated with the progression of cancer.11 We evaluated the impact of plasma HGF levels on overall survival (OS) and hepatic function after hypofractionated radiotherapy with protons for unresectable liver cancers3 and after surgery in resectable liver cancers (see Tables S1-S4). The gene discussed is HGF; the disease is cancer.