Hazan et al. (2000) demonstrated that treatment with FGF-2 induced N-cadherin-expressing breast carcinoma cells into a more invasive phenotype, with upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase MMP-9. Other experimental studies have also shown that transfection of N-cadherin can promote motility in human cancer cell lines (Nieman et al, 1999; Li et al, 2001). This evidence concerns the gene CDH2 and cancer.