CD44 and colonic neoplasm: COX-2 has been shown to promote invasive phenotypes through increased expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 1 and 2 to break down the extracellular matrix and decrease cell-cell adhesion, in human colon cancer cells and the hyaluronate receptor CD44, glycoprotein receptors involved in cell adhesion and migration, in colon [80] and non small-cell lung [1] cancers.