HMGCR and malignant colon neoplasm: ,12 Previous studies have indicated that a variety of metabolic enzymes in cholesterol synthesis are involved in the persistence of tumor stemness, including breast cancer, bladder cancer, and colon cancer.13, 14, 15 However, the impact of HMGCR on the stemness and metastasis of HCC as well as the underlying mechanisms have not been fully uncovered.