CD44 and cancer: Copper levels havebeen reported to be increased in inflamed malignanttissues and a STEAP4-IL17-dependent signaling axis has been documentedin this context.616 Pro-inflammatory macrophagesand cancer cells acquiring a pro-metastatic drug tolerant mesenchymalstate are characterized by upregulation of CD44, increase of copperuptake, and a higher load of mitochondrial copper(II).