AKT1 and hepatocellular carcinoma: By playing a critical role in carcinogenesis and tumor progression, HSF4 has been demonstrated to enhance EMT by activating the AKT pathway in a HIF1α-dependent manner in hepatocellular carcinoma; Hepatocellular carcinoma cells are better able to migrate, disseminate, and invade when HSF4 is upregulated, which promotes aggressive tumor behavior, indicating that high HSF4 expression may be a predictor of poor hepatocellular carcinoma after radical resection [26].