Consistently, inflammatory signaling pathways including NF-κB, MAPK, STAT3 and AKT are hyperactivated in HCC and considered critical players in HCC pathogenesis (Calvisi et al., 2006; He and Karin, 2011; Hui et al., 2008; Maeda et al., 2005; Pikarsky et al., 2004; Wang et al., 2016). The gene discussed is STAT3; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.