Through knockdown and overexpression experiments, we provide evidence that ADAM8 is instrumental in hepatoma cell proliferation, clonogenicity, migration, ECM invasion, β1 integrin regulation, phosphorylation of FAK and Src and activation of Rho A. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that up‐regulation of ADAM8 in hepatoma cells can promote integrin expression and signalling via FAK, Src and Rho A resulting in increased tumour cell attachment, migration and tissue invasion. The gene discussed is PTK2; the disease is neoplasm.