In addition, the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and IL-23/IL-17A axis plays an important role in tumor immunology: TLR4 is upregulated in HCC tissues, and the expression levels of IL-17A and IL-23, which are key mediators of inflammation that contribute to carcinogenesis, are correlated with TLR4 expression in HCC, showing that the this pathway may represent a new therapeutic target in HCC [12]. Here, TLR4 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.