ECM1 and neoplasm: In a previous study, a significant association between increased VEGF-C expression and advanced histological grade was found, suggesting that poorly differentiated tumor cells may be more capable of secreting VEGF-C, which can induce lymphangiogenesis in breast cancer [47], while VEGF-C together with extracellular matrix protein 1 were found overexpressed in breast cancer lymphatic metastases [53].