ADAM9 and neoplasm: MKI67 (encoding Ki67), one of the most well-known proliferation markers, which is used in routine tumor diagnostics to assess the proliferation index, was significantly upregulated in ADAM8/9/15high samples from both cohorts on RNA level and high ADAM8/9/15 expression also correlated with high Ki67 protein expression, further strengthening the hypothesis that high ADAM8, ADAM9 and ADAM15 expression may be associated with increased proliferation.