Regarding its molecular mechanism in cancers, HOXA-AS2 promoted proliferation and induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) via the miR-520c-3p/glypican-3 axis in hepatocellular carcinoma 50, the miR-520c-3p/S100 calcium-binding protein A4 (S100A4) axis in papillary thyroid cancer 43, and the miR-520c-3p/transforming growth factor beta receptor 2/RELA (RELA proto-oncogene, NF-κB subunit) axis in breast cancer40. Here, RELA is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.