The intensity of membrane staining for E-cadherin and all catenin molecules was significantly more in normal background tissues compared with tumour tissues (mean ± SD; E-cadherin normal background 169.6 ± 5.83, tumour 82.7 ± 12.78 p < 0.001; α-catenin normal background 163.22 ± 4.27, tumour 92.22 ± 21.02 p < 0.001, β-catenin normal background 216.1 ± 15.94, tumour 99 ± 32.93 p < 0.001, γ-catenin normal background 131.9 ± 24.99, tumour 85.5 ± 29.93 p = 0.008). The gene discussed is CDH1; the disease is neoplasm.