Hierarchical clustering analysis of the ER-negative tumors using the top 500 basal discriminatory genes generated within the ER-negative tumor group identified two separate clusters (Figure 1; see Additional file 1 for the heat map): one cluster containing a large number of CK5/14-positive tumors (17/24) in addition to seven CK5/14-negative tumors, and another in which all except one of the tumors (25/26) were immunohistochemically CK5/14-negative and were frequently amplified for the HER-2 oncogene (18/26). Here, ERBB2 is linked to neoplasm.