HGF and thyroid gland carcinoma: The investigation of molecular pathways in thyroid nodules caught the attention of some researchers who investigated the immunohistochemical expression of HGF, c-met, STAT3, phosphorylated-STAT3 (pSTAT3), PI3K, Akt and Rho in 83 benign thyroid nodules and 46 thyroid cancers (20 PTCs, 16 FTCs and 6 ATCs).