In fibrotic livers, HLF is expressed by hepatic stellate cells, which leads to a positive feedback loop further promoting HLF expression via activation of the proinflammatory IL6/STAT3 pathway.7 Interleukin 6 signalling plays a major role in hepatocyte retrodifferentiation and in the proinflammatory and preneoplastic microenvironment that contributes to the emergence of HCCs in severely fibrotic livers.1 8 Therefore, it may be hypothesised that HLF fosters the emergence of quiescent cancer stem cell populations from the onset of liver carcinogenesis. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and cancer.