In addition, the abnormal expression of 3‐phosphoinositide‐dependent protein kinase‐1 (PDK1), which is a key activator of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, is characteristic of poorly differentiated invasive HCC cells, indicating that PDK1 can serve as a molecular target for HCC.117. Here, PDK1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.