ABSTRACT
As one of the tyrosine kinase receptors, Axl is an important downstream regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and can bind to its ligand Gas6 protein. By activating the downstream signal transduction pathways, Axl is closely associated with vascular invasion, tumor metastasis, recurrence, and low survival rate of hepatocellular carcinoma. Current studies on the Gas6/Axl signaling pathway have confirmed that Axl inhibitors play an important role in the treatment of liver cancer and the Gas6/Axl signaling pathway may be a potential therapeutic target for liver cancer. This article mainly introduces the association of Axl and its ligand Gas6 with the development and progression of liver cancer and their application in the diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer, in order to provide new ideas for the early diagnosis of liver cancer and clinical research on anti-cancer treatment.