We confirm the increased vascular density and wider capillary diameter in the perilesional mucosa, despite the fact that tumor-associated pathways were absent in the perilesional ECM (eg, decreased number of ER-β+ epithelial cells, dysmodulation of ECM proteins, CEACAM5, OCIAD2 and FAP bound to neoplastic ECM). This evidence concerns the gene CEACAM5 and neoplasm.