Proteins that were differentially expressed between the NAF from tumor-bearing breasts and the NAF from disease-free breasts included, among others, alpha2HS-glycoprotein (H:L ratio 0.63), lipophilin B (H:L ratio 1.42), beta-globin (H:L ratio 1.98), hemopexin (H:L ratio 1.73), and vitamin D-binding protein precursor (H:L ratio 1.82) (Table 1). The gene discussed is HBB; the disease is neoplasm.