Recombinant Gal‐3 promotes cancer sphere formation.12 Furthermore, previous studies have demonstrated Gal‐3 to interact with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and transforming growth factor‐β receptor (TGFβR).9 Therefore, extracellular Gal‐3 may also stimulate sphere formation in collaboration with EGF or bFGF signalling in the tumour sphere medium. This evidence concerns the gene FGF2 and neoplasm.