The differential expression patterns of Ki67, Mcm2–7 and Geminin during the mitotic cell cycle and their tight downregulation in out-of-cycle states (Stoeber et al, 2001; Wohlschlegel et al, 2002) provide a novel and powerful multi-parameter analysis for assessment of growth fraction and cell cycle kinetics in human tissues and tumours. This evidence concerns the gene MCM2 and neoplasm.