Several reports have demonstrated that the downregulation of E-cad in HCC is significantly associated with large tumour size, low grade of histological differentiation, capsular and vascular invasion, early recurrence, intrahepatic metastasis, and poor prognosis (Kozyraki et al, 1996; Endo et al, 2000). The gene discussed is CDH1; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.