A study indicated that elevated levels of m6A modification and the ‘reader’ protein YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA-binding protein 1–3 (YTHDF1) were observed in the transition zone of sublethal heat exposure near the ablation center in an IRFA HCC in situ mouse model (Su et al., 2021). Here, YTHDF1 is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma.