These abnormalities, collectively known as desmoplasia, refer to the formation of a dense ECM characterized by increased levels of total fibrillar collagen, fibronectin, proteoglycans (PGs), and tenascin C. In fact, desmoplastic response has been demonstrated to be associated with more aggressive and invasive cancer and worse prognosis in several types of cancer such as papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (35), breast cancers (36), and rectal cancers (37). Here, FN1 is linked to cancer.