The potentially enhanced anti-tumoural effects of chemotherapy when combined with cetuximab in gastric cancer seen in these clinical trials are not unexpected, given that data from preclinical trials in EGFR-expressing gastric cancer cell lines and tumour xenografts suggested an anti-tumour effect of cetuximab as a result of different intracellular and immunological mechanisms (Hara et al, 2008; Shimura et al, 2008; Patel et al, 2009). The gene discussed is EGFR; the disease is neoplasm.