Transcription factors hypermethylated in cancer 1 (HIC1) and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4A) were identified by Zhang et al. (2019a) as crucial modulators of ferroptosis-related factors, with stimulating and suppressing activity, respectively, and correlated with tumor stage in liver cancer: Worst prognostic outcomes were associated with low HIC1 and high HNF4A levels. The gene discussed is HIC1; the disease is liver cancer.