NOTCH1 and neoplasm: In line with this observation, Notch1 was shown to be expressed in the non-tumor liver of rats that developed HCC, while it was not expressed in the liver of rats not developing HCC, suggesting that Notch1 is involved in HCC onset and in the so-called “field effect” representing the carcinogenic microenvironment assumed to cause accumulated genetic hits inducing cellular transformation [96,104].