Biological tests with tin-functionalized silica materials have been carried out using OVCAR-3, DLD-1, A2780 and A431 tumour cell lines, showing that functionalization of the nanostructured silica with a triphenyltin(IV) moiety group, together with a relatively high concentration of folic acid, leads to an increase in the quantity of soluble FOLR1 secreted by tumour cells. This evidence concerns the gene FOLR1 and neoplasm.