Total large extracellular vesicle concentrations and the concentrations of extracellular vesicles expressing epithelial cell adhesion molecule and the cancer markers atypical chemokine receptor type 7, extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer and syndecan-4 were significantly higher in patients with Thy3f nodules (cancer and non-cancer) compared with healthy individuals. The gene discussed is EPCAM; the disease is cancer.