HBEGF and neoplasm: ADAM17 is a widely distributed transmembrane protein that is involved in different physiological processes such as inflammation, cell proliferation and apoptosis by its hydrolysis of various precursor membrane proteins, such as TNF-α, TNFRII, HB-EGF, IL-1R1, etc. It is localized in the membranes and cytoplasm of normal and tumor tissues and expressed in human lung, bronchus, nasopharynx, placenta, and lymphoid tissues (20, 21).