HGF and hepatocellular carcinoma: Secondly, in this study, the cytokines secreted by H-CAFs, NSFs, and HCC cells were screened using a high-flux assay, and we found that CAFs released an abnormal amount of inflammation-related factors and growth factors, such as IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, MCP-3, TGF-β, SDF-1 and HGF.