However, while a tumor suppressive role of IGFBP-7 has been shown for epithelial-like tumor cells, others have shown tumor promoting properties and stimulation of anchorage-independent growth in epithelial cells with an epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) phenotype and in malignant mesenchymal cells (22). The gene discussed is IGFBP7; the disease is neoplasm.