MDK and neoplasm: It was also significantly lower in patients with positive lymph-vascular invasion (LVI) (p = 0.009, Fig. 4a), T3/4 stage (p < 0.001, Fig. 4b), positive N stage (p = 0.001, Fig. 4c), AJCC tumor staging III/V (p = < 0.001, Fig. 4d) and positive MK expression (p = 0.012, Fig. 4e).