CXCL8 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Overexpression of CPAP increases the expression of several genes downstream of STAT3, such as HIF1α, IL-8, MCAM, and CD44. The expression of CPAP is not only parallel with activated STAT3 in human HCC, but also positively correlated with IL-8 secretion, and CD44 mRNA overexpression.