It has been shown that OPN drives overexpressed in a variety of cancers, including lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, papillary thyroid carcinoma, melanoma and pleural mesothelioma; OPN contributes both glomerulonephritis and tubulointerstitial nephritis; and OPN is found in atheromatous plaques within arteries.
22.
A "'vulnerable plaque "'is a kind of atheromatous plaque a collection of white blood cells ( primarily macrophages ) and lipids ( including cholesterol ) in the wall of an artery that is particularly unstable and prone to produce sudden major problems such as a heart attack or stroke.
23.
The following terms are similar, yet distinct, in both spelling and meaning, and can be easily confused : arteriosclerosis, arteriolosclerosis, and atherosclerosis . " Arteriosclerosis " is a general term describing any hardening ( and loss of elasticity ) of medium or large arteries ( from the Greek " sclerosis ", meaning " hardening " ); " arteriolosclerosis " is any hardening ( and loss of elasticity ) of arterioles ( small arteries ); " atherosclerosis " is a hardening of an artery specifically due to an atheromatous plaque.
