STAT3 and hepatocellular carcinoma: In the following paragraphs, we illustrate this aspect by describing the relationship between HCV and four major signaling drivers that play an important role in liver disease progression towards HCC: the epidermal growth factor (EGF), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).