Protein expression of the mesenchymal marker vimentin was increased in the tumor buds, whereas expression of the epithelial marker, E-cadherin, was decreased in the tumor buds when compared with that in the main tumor body (21.8% vs. 3.4%; 23.0% vs. 90.8%, respectively; both P < 0.05). Here, CDH1 is linked to neoplasm.