Sorafenib enriches epithelial cell adhesion molecule–positive tumor initiating cells and exacerbates a subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma through TSC2‐AKT cascade

Abstract

Our findings suggest that a subtype of HCC is not suitable for sorafenib therapy; this resistance to sorafenib can be predicted by the status of TSC2, and agents inducing differentiation of tumor initiating cells (e.g., all-trans retinoic acid) should improve the prognosis of this subtype of HCC.