The expression of metalloproteinases and their inhibitors (MMP15, MMP16, MMP17, MMP24, TIMP1), laminins (LAMA2, LAMA3), collagen gene family members (COL4A2, COL4A3, COL4A3BP, COL4A5, COL6A1, COL9A2, COL10A1, COL11A1, COL11A2, COL12A1, COL17A1, COL18A1, COL19A1, COL21A1, COL24A1, COL25A1, COL26A1, COL27A1, COL28A1, COLGALT2) and tight junction components and adaptors (CLDN1, CLDN3, CLDN4, CLDN6, CLDN9, CLDN10, CLDN11, CLDN16, CLDN20, CLDN24, TJP1, TJP2, TJP3) was found altered in the tumor compartments compared to normal control tissue. This evidence concerns the gene COL21A1 and neoplasm.