Although the frequency of AXIN1 deletions in medulloblastoma is 12% (Dahmen et al, 2001) and a similar figure for genetic alterations has been demonstrated in HCC (Satoh et al, 2000), the results of our mutational analysis of oesophageal SCC were different, suggesting that association of AXIN1 mutations with carcinogenesis is rare in oesophageal SCC. This evidence concerns the gene AXIN1 and hepatocellular carcinoma.