In oncology, SOX9 promotes tumor persistence, drug resistance, and immune evasion through key pathways such as PI3K/AKT, Wnt/β-catenin, and TGFβ/Smad, particularly in gastric, liver, and breast cancers, where it supports cell dormancy and helps evade NK cell surveillance. The gene discussed is TGFB1; the disease is neoplasm.