HGF and hepatocellular carcinoma: Clinically, a high level of c-MET is negatively correlated with the prognosis of multiple cancers, i.e., lung cancer (24), breast cancer (25), and clear cell renal cell carcinoma (26), etc. Numerous studies have suggested that there is a positive relationship between HGF/c-Met signaling and the proliferation, regeneration, and survival of HCC (27).