BCAM (basal cell adhesion molecule) is a transmembrane glycoprotein and member of the immunoglobulin superfamily that functions as both an adhesion molecule and receptor 1. It binds extracellular matrix proteins, particularly laminin isoforms with alpha-5 chains, through its extracellular immunoglobulin-like domains, promoting cell-matrix adhesion and facilitating cell migration 1. BCAM serves as a marker of airway stem cells among basal cell populations in respiratory epithelium 2. Type 2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-13 increase BCAM expression through insulin receptor substrate-dependent signaling, supporting a basal stem cell program in airway inflammation 2. In cancer contexts, BCAM promotes mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition and tumor angiogenesis through paracrine signaling of pro-metastatic cytokines including VEGF, FGF2, and TGFB2, facilitating ovarian cancer dissemination and progression 3. Similarly, histone lysine lactylation-induced BCAM promotes oral squamous cell carcinoma progression, invasion, angiogenesis, and chemotherapy resistance 4. These findings position BCAM as a therapeutic target in cancer while highlighting its physiological roles in stem cell regulation and tissue regeneration.