Tumor cell motility and survival are core issues in cancer that impact tumor cell growth and metastasis.  When mutagenesis occurs and normal cells are transformed into tumor cells, podoplanin (PDPN) is induced, disrupting normal cell-to-cell communication, thereby allowing tumor cells to escape contact normalization and migrate. PDPN, a transmembrane glycoprotein receptor, is an early expressed tumor biomarker, is overexpressed in many cancers, plays a critical role in tumor progression, and is correlated with poor prognosis.