We found preserved expression of TIMP-1 and CD63, CD133 or Sox2 in the biopsies, and to some extent co-expression between the four proteins, suggesting that preclinical spheroid models can be used to determine the influence on chemo-resistance, also in relation to tumor stem-like cells which have been suggested to play an important role in resistance to anti-cancer treatment [2, 66–68]. Here, TIMP1 is linked to neoplasm.