In the simplest 2D cell culture setting, cancer cells from either immortalized or primary cell lines are seeded on selected stromal components [e.g., fibronectin 1 (FN1), collagen I, collagen IV, among others] at clonogenic densities to favor cell interaction with the substratum and in the presence of microenvironmental soluble factors [e.g., epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor]. The gene discussed is FGF2; the disease is cancer.