Metastasis‐associated protein 1 (MTA1) is a member of the MTA family (including MTA1, MTA2 and MTA3), which is served as the constituents of the Mi‐2/nucleosome remodelling and deacetylase protein complex.7 To date, MTA1 has been discovered to play indispensable roles in cell proliferation, tumorigenesis and metastasis, and it is known as a tumour inhibitor in many cancers.8, 9 However, the implication of MTA1 in IPF is undefined. This evidence concerns the gene MTA1 and cancer.