Additionally, CAFs overexpress ER-α in tumor tissues of patients with CC, ER-α signaling promotes the expression of genes related to cell proliferation (PDGF-C and EREG), angiogenesis (VEGF-A, VEGF-C, CTGF, and ANGPT1), metastasis (MMP-1 and COL6A1) and tumor growth (FGF1), making ER-α overexpressing CAFs an important therapeutic target (165). Here, EREG is linked to neoplasm.