A previous study reported that the STAT3 signaling pathway was involved in the EXOSC5-regulated proliferation of gastric cancer [39], and the elevated phosphorylation of STAT3 was also shown in HCC tissues and cell lines, which could be inhibited by the down-regulation of EXOSC5 in the present study. The gene discussed is EXOSC5; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.