Beside targeting protein kinases such as CDKs and JAKs, 2-ethoxystypandrone (1) might be proposed to block self-renewal, cell survival and suppress the tumorsphere formation of HCC CSCs by targeting key downstream stemness genes such as Notch, c-Myc, Oct3/4, Sox2, and KIf4 of STAT3 signaling pathway [34], the direct cellular targets of 2-ethoxystypandrone (1) blocking CSCs activity are still unclear and its exact mechanisms of action will be further explored. Here, SOX2 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.