HK2 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Higher levels of HK2, which plays a critical role in initiating and maintaining the enhanced glucose catabolic rates of rapidly growing tumors [47,48], were observed in liver cell change/dysplasia in cirrhosis (LCD) and HCCs when compared with non-dysplastic cirrhosis (NDC), indicating a crucial role of HK2 in the onset of HCC [50].