Additional study has demonstrated that the loss of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) and HBV infection can induce caspase-3-mediated chronic apoptosis of hepatocytes, which synergistically contributes to liver injury, inflammation, fibrosis, and the development of HCC through upregulation of GP73 and activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) (45). Here, STAT3 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.