Experiments that simulate solid stresses in tumors through compression have shown that they can alter cancer cell adhesion and migration (51), increasing TME stiffness stimulates the secretion of activin a, a strong metastatic cytokine in cancer-associated fibroblasts, and matrix-secreted activin a induces ligand-dependent CRC epithelial cell migration and EMT. The gene discussed is INHBE; the disease is colorectal carcinoma.