MMP9 and hepatocellular carcinoma: The association of these six cGBs with T2D, CRC, and HCC is further supported by previous individual studies, including those involving MYC [75–77], CXCL1 [78–80], SPP1 [81–83], IL6 [84–86], THBS1 [87–89], and MMP9 [90–92] as displayed in Fig 7A.