PDK1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Mechanistically, we also showed that while (iii) aberrant PDK1 expression is implicated in the acquisition of IR-resistance and evasion of DNA damage by HCC cells, (iv) PDK1-dependent IR-resistance is associated with the enhanced metastatic and cancer stem cell-like phenotypes of HCC cells and that the (v) pharmacologic targeting of PDK1 resensitizes HCC cells to radiotherapy-induced apoptosis signals dose-dependently and significantly suppresses their oncogenicity.