A total of 133 tumours (10.4%) showed loss of membranous EpCAM (<100% staining, as defined according to ROC analysis) and were significantly associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis (P=0.023) and an infiltrating tumour margin (P=0.005), as well as with a trend towards higher tumour grade (P=0.088) and the presence of vascular invasion (P=0.056). The gene discussed is EPCAM; the disease is neoplasm.