PIVKA-II binds to the hepatocyte growth factor receptor, c-MET, leading to tumour growth, invasion and tumour metastases via the JAK-1/STAT3 and ERK 1/2 MAPK signalling pathways, [30, 31] whereas AFP is thought to be more a marker for hepatic progenitor cells or their subtypes [32]. Here, STAT3 is linked to neoplasm.