The investigators found that mice globally-deficient for TREM2, thus not expressing TREM2 on the epithelial tumor cells or any other cell type within the TME, developed an increased number of tumors of all sizes following carcinogen (DEN: diethylnitrosamine) administration and also developed an increased number of as well as larger tumors in fibrosis associated HCC models (25). The gene discussed is TREM2; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.