EPCAM and neoplasm: Increased level of 3-MST in epithelial cell adhesion molecule containing cancerous stem cells isolated from HCC patients [53].Low tumor growth rate was observed in HCC xenograft mice overexpressing 3-MST [116]. 3-MST overexpression greatly reduced cell proliferation and growth by triggering G1-phase cell cycle arrest and controlling the AKT/FOXO3a/Rb pathway in HCC cells [116].