Similarly to MUC1, MUC4 is a factor associated with poor prognosis in several carcinomas (Shibahara et al, 2004; Saitou et al, 2005; Tamada et al, 2006; Tsutsumida et al, 2007), and thus we hypothesised that MUC4 is also regulated by an epigenetic mechanism. This evidence concerns the gene MUC4 and carcinoma.