Hepatocellular carcinomas, exhibiting intratumor fibrosis, express cancer-specific extracellular matrix remodeling and WNT/TGFB signatures, associated with poor outcome

HCC, the third leading cause of cancer-related death, arises in the context of liver fibrosis. Although HCC is generally poorly fibrogenic, some tumors harbor focal intratumor extracellular matrix (ECM) deposits called "fibrous nests." To date, the molecular composition and clinical relevance of these ECM deposits have not been fully defined.