In colon cancer, ADAM17 protein is overexpressed in primary and metastatic tumors compared with normal colonic mucosa and the intensity of its immunoreactivity is inversely correlated with that of TGF-alpha and amphiregulin [49], with ADAM17 gene expression significantly higher in liver metastases than in primary tumors [50]. This evidence concerns the gene AREG and malignant colon neoplasm.