CD24 is proposed to play an important role in tumor-initiating cells (T-ICs) from chemoresistant (cisplatin) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) xenograft tumors orthotopically transplanted into SCID mice, promoting tumor-forming and self-renewal abilities through phosphorylation of STAT3 and induction of NANOG expression. Here, STAT3 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.