Importantly, the existence of CSCs is believed to be an important mechanism of drug resistance37, and TFF3-induced cancer stem cell-like behavior has been shown to contribute to chemoresistance (doxorubicin) in hepatocellular carcinoma and trastuzumab resistance in HER2+ /ER+ mammary carcinoma10,21. This evidence concerns the gene ERBB2 and hepatocellular carcinoma.