SPARC and breast cancer: FGFBP1 and MMP2 have been previously shown to be upregulated in metastatic colorectal cancers relative to normal colon epithelia.23,30 As a mesenchymal cell marker, SPARC expression has been identified during breast cancer EMT which correlates with a basal-like phenotype.25 In contrast, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1) was downregulated in the suspended population of COLO 205 cells compared to the adherent population.