Of note, there was also a higher level of SPARC expression in NPC that significantly correlated with progression and shorter overall survival (Fig. 6), suggesting that high SPARC expression in NPC tissues would down-regulate COL3A1 expression in the cytoplasm and affect downstream signaling pathways, which would increase migration and invasion in NPC cells. This evidence concerns the gene COL3A1 and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.