The cystatin C concentration was significantly (P<0.0001) decreased by a factor of 2.44 in 37 (45%) tumours and was elevated 2.04-fold in 45 cases (55%), still resulting in a 1.18-fold significant (P=0.041) decrease in inhibitor concentration in the total population of tumour samples compared to their control counterparts. Here, CST3 is linked to neoplasm.