Furthermore, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis of the overlapping 37 DEGs identified 159 edges among 33 nodes (PPI enrichment p-value < 1.0 × 10− 16, using the String platform), with genes such as collagens (Col1, Col4 and Col6), laminins and integrin-alpha-8 as a part of the main cluster of ECM-receptor interactions, focal adhesion and pathways in cancer (Fig. 1G). This evidence concerns the gene ITGA8 and cancer.