However, our study indicates that HCC tumor cells exhibiting mesenchymal-like characteristics can show profound differences among patients, and that a low expression of PRRX1 and high expression of TWIST1, together with high levels of stem-related genes, is indicative of cells that do not respond to TGF-β-mediated tumor-suppressive responses, nor to inhibitors of the TGF-β pathway. The gene discussed is TGFB1; the disease is neoplasm.