Moreover, 10 of the differentially expressed protein coding genes (MMP1, MMP9, COL1A2, GREM1, POSTN, FMOD, THSB, DCN, VCAN, CTSK, and IVL) revealed by microarray analysis of tumor cells cultured in spheroids were selected for verification by qRT-PCR. Here, GREM1 is linked to neoplasm.