Abstract
Following the publication of the above paper, it was drawn to the Editor's attention by a concerned reader that the immunohistochemical images shown in Fig. 7E were strikingly similar to data that had already been published in different form in a previous article in the journal PLoS One written by different authors at different research institutes. Owing to the fact that the abovementioned data had already apparently been published previously, the Editor of Oncology Reports has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. The authors were asked for an explanation to account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not receive a reply. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [Oncology Reports 44: 1064‑1074, 2020; DOI: 10.3892/or.2020.7684].