Moreover, the importance of E-cadherin in breast cancer is somewhat uncertain, and in different tumour panels it has been found that loss of, as well as sustained, E-cadherin expression was of prognostic significance (Lipponen et al, 1994; Siitonen et al, 1996; Bukholm et al, 1998; Tan et al, 1999; Gillett et al, 2001). The gene discussed is CDH1; the disease is neoplasm.