CD44, caveolin-1, interleukin-1 receptor-like 1 (IL1RL1), integrin subunit alpha 5 (ITGA5), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 (SMAD3) were amongst the 30+ genes consistently reported across the functional categories listed in Figure 8C. Each of these genes has been reported widely in mediating cancer progression; however, their roles in MAF formation and colonisation are not well characterised. Here, CD44 is linked to cancer.