Mechanistically, DUXAP8 endogenously competes for the binding of miR-584-5p through the ceRNA mechanism, reducing its inhibitory effect -on MAPK1 and thus activating the MAPK/ERK pathway to promote the proliferation, invasive migration, stemness maintenance, and chemoresistance in HCC. The gene discussed is DUXAP8; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.