SOCS-3 gene expression significantly increased in the cancerous ducts (+32% vs normal duct, P<0.05) and in the reactive stromal area (+170% vs adjacent connective tissue, P<0.01) of in situ ductal carcinoma, as well as in tumour area of sections obtained from patients with infiltrating carcinoma (+39% vs normal duct, P<0.05) (Figure 3C). The gene discussed is SOCS3; the disease is ductal breast carcinoma in situ.