In 2016, a five-gene transcriptomic hepatic signature, which includes Ang-2 as the most significantly upregulated gene, in addition to delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4), neuropilin/tolloid-like 2 (NETO2), endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 (ESM1) and nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 1 (NR4A1), was identified to predict HCC growth and prognosis in individual patients. Here, DLL4 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.