To explore the underlying molecular mechanisms, we used IHC to thoroughly investigate the expression of related proteins that have been implicated in HCC, such as Hep-1 (Hepatocyte Paraffin 1), CK18 (cytokeratin-18), CK19 (Cytokeratin 19), CD34 (Cluster Of Differentiation 34), GPC-3 (Glypican-3), SUOX (sulfite oxidase), pERK (phosphorylation extracellular regulated protein kinases), OPN (osteopontin), Muc1 (mucin1), HSP70 (Heat Shock Protein 70), TRIM35 (tripartite motif containing 35), and PKM2 (Pyruvate kinase M2 isozyme)12–22. The gene discussed is KRT18; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.