These results might suggest that in some populations of NSCLCs, from well-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas to undifferentiated large cell carcinomas, inactivation of E-cadherin is an early event in the tumour progression, and activation of the inappropriate cadherin, such as N-cadherin, would be a subsequent event, which could promote angiogenesis and poor survival. The gene discussed is CDH17; the disease is squamous cell carcinoma.