HOXA5 and hepatocellular carcinoma: Previous studies have shown that miR-196a, acts as an oncogene, exert multiple functions in carcinogenesis and cancer progression, such as down-regulation of miR-196a inhibited proliferation and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells by targeting FOXO1 [4]; in breast cancer, overexpression of miR-196a promotes tumor growth and metastasis by targeting SPRED1 [5]; in osteosarcoma, it could promote cell migration, invasion and the epithelial–mesenchymal transition by targeting HOXA5 [6].