The correlation between KPNA2 and STMN1 could also be confirmed in HCC tissues of two larger patient cohorts (Roessler cohort, n = 247; TCGA LIHC cohort, n = 371) at the mRNA level reflected by Spearman correlation coefficients of r = 0.61 (p < 0.0001; Fig. 4c) and r = 0.63 (p < 0.0001; Additional file 1: Figure S6a), with both factors being overexpressed in HCC (Additional file 1: Figure S6b). Here, KPNA2 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.