In this report, defective uptake of a broad range of compounds, including [14C]-carboplatin, [3H]MTX, [3H]folic acid (FA), [125I]epidermal growth factor, 59Fe, [3H]glucose, and [3H]proline, as well as 73As5+ and 73As3+, was detected in CP-r human hepatoma and epidermal carcinoma cells that we have previously shown are defective in fluid-phase endocytosis. The gene discussed is EGF; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.