AFP may accelerate the proliferation of HCC cells by interacting with the AFP receptor (AFPR), leading to the activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B in the serine/threonine protein kinases (AKT) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways.32, 33. The gene discussed is AFP; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.