We found that 15 of the MSI-positive tumours had hypermethylation of either p16, BRCA1 or RASSF1A gene, whereas none of the MSI-negative tumours (MSS) demonstrated the promoter hypermethylation and this could be due to the epigenetic inactivation of either p16, BRCA1 or RASSF1A genes (unpublished data). The gene discussed is BRCA1; the disease is neoplasm.