To clarify the role of PKR in HCV-related hepatocarcinogenesis, we previously examined the phosphorylation of PKR in paired malignant and surrounding non-malignant tissues from patients with HCV-related HCC and showed that PKR protein levels are consistently increased in HCV-related HCC tissue compared with surrounding non-HCC tissue15. This evidence concerns the gene EIF2AK2 and hepatocellular carcinoma.