Furthermore, overexpression of AXL in HCC cell lines was shown to promote cell proliferation and migration, while inhibiting apoptosis (23), a study of HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy also confirmed that the patients with AXL expression showed more aggressive pathological features of tumor invasiveness and had a statistically higher tumor recurrence rate and lower survival rate 5-years after surgery (25). The gene discussed is AXL; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.