Interestingly, we found that metastatic tumours emerging via the lymphatic route had dramatically more selected mutations than those emerging via the hematogenous route (286 mutations vs. 6 mutations, P < 0.001, Fisher’s exact test), and mutations in NFKBIA, TP53, genes involved in EMT, such as CTNNB1, vinculin (VCL), and Rho GTPase activators (ARHGAP35 and VAV3), were evidently selected during metastasis via the lymphatic route but not during metastasis via the hematogenous route (Fig. 5b). The gene discussed is VCL; the disease is neoplasm.