High levels of GRP78 expression correlate with increasing tumour grade in hepatocellular carcinoma (Shuda et al, 2003), poor clinical outcome in breast cancer (Lee et al, 2006), higher recurrence and mortality rates in prostate cancer (Daneshmand et al, 2007) and a higher rate of nodal metastasis and reduced survival in gastric cancer (Zhang et al, 2006). The gene discussed is HSPA5; the disease is breast carcinoma.