Although, tumor cell c-MET expression when considered alone was not predictive of outcome, MET expression by HCC cells was inversely associated with overall survival and disease free progression times in the subgroup of patients within this cohort with large numbers of neutrophils at the invading tumor margins (51) Further in-vitro work by this group, determined that exposing neutrophils to culture supernatants from HCC cell lines or primary HCC cells increased production of HGF by neutrophils. This evidence concerns the gene HGF and hepatocellular carcinoma.