POSTN and hepatocellular carcinoma: POSTN is produced in response to tissue injury and inflammation, often leading to its upregulation in various solid tumors, including HCC, esophageal cancer, colorectal cancer and lung cancer (Xiao et al., 2021; Chen K. et al., 2020; Ueki et al., 2023; Ratajczak-Wielgomas et al., 2022).