In other tumour types, high levels of TAN have been shown to drive tumour progression by producing factors such as reactive oxygen species that initiate further DNA mutations [27], and by secreting potent pro-tumour factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinases that promote tumour angiogenesis [28, 29], and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) that induces myofibroblast formation [30]. Here, TGFB1 is linked to neoplasm.