PTEN and cancer: Activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is also critical in the neoplastic transformation of cells via the downstream PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathways [50], and different types of MMPs—such as MMP-2 and MMP-9—play a crucial role in tumor proliferation via the cleavage of the prominent components of the extracellular matrix, consequently prompting cancer-cell invasion [51]; this process hijacks apoptosis signaling in cancer-causing inflammation, tissue remodeling, tumor cell growth, and HCC metastasis [52].