As survival of the tumour cells in the circulation and being eventually able to produce metastasis at remote site occur only in less than 1 in 10,000 of the invaded cells [29,34], the enhanced survival of the disseminating tumour cells by the galectin-3-MUC1 interaction may have profound consequences on the metastatic potential of the cancer cells. The gene discussed is MUC1; the disease is neoplasm.