The 120 kDa full-length e-cadherin is known to be important for well-functioning cell–cell adhesion and its cleavage has been linked to the malignant progression of adenocarcinomas including prostate cancer (Giroldi and Schalken, 1993; Rios-Doria et al, 2002). The gene discussed is CDH1; the disease is prostate carcinoma.