HGF and hepatocellular carcinoma: MET is the tyrosine kinase receptor for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF).9 Approximately 50% of patients with HCC may harbour MET alterations,9 and 28% of patients with advanced HCC show evidence of MET overexpression.10 These patients may derive therapeutic benefit from selective MET inhibition.9,11 In vitro, MET inhibitors can reduce the growth of MET-positive HCC cell line-derived xenograft models.11