Moreover, in vivo studies in BALB/c mice injected with PLC/PRF/5 cells infected with lentiviral vector containing the Gauss luciferase gene and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) against MDK (Lv-Gluc-shMDK) showed lower levels of Lv-Gluc in the blood, indicating that MDK inhibits anoikis in vivo, perhaps as a means to protect circulating tumor cells (CTC) from death when found in circulation. The gene discussed is MDK; the disease is neoplasm.