In the CELESTIAL phase-III clinical trial, cabozantinib, a multi-kinase inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-1,2,3, growth arrest-specific protein 6 receptor (AXL), and hepatocyte growth factor receptor (MET), was confirmed to be effective and safe as a second- or third-line systemic therapy for patients with advanced HCC following sorafenib [9]. Here, AXL is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.