CRP and hepatocellular carcinoma: Recent studies proposed that CRP is mechanistically linked to hepatocarcinogenesis since upon interleukin-1 (IL-1) stimulation, EGFR-recruited liver macrophages induce interleukin-6 (IL-6).[33] IL-6 not only stimulates CRP production in hepatocytes[34,35] but also triggers hepatocyte proliferation and promotes development of HCC.[33,36,37] Notably, the presence of EGFR-positive liver macrophages in HCC patients was associated with poor survival.[33]