In the present work we have evaluated the status of the Ca2+-dependent proteolytic system in the gastrocnemius muscle of AH-130 tumour-bearing rats by assaying the activity of calpain as well as the levels of calpastatin, the natural calpain inhibitor, and of the 130 kDa Ca2+-ATPase, both of which are known calpain substrates. This evidence concerns the gene CAST and neoplasm.