High expressions of EGFR, HER-2 and HER-4 were observed in 25 (39.7%) of 63, 26 (41.3%) of 63 and 31 (49.2%) of 63 tumours, in which 48.0% (12 out of 25), 61.5% (16 out of 26) and 54.8% (17 out of 31), respectively, exhibited heterogeneous expression within tumours. The gene discussed is ERBB4; the disease is neoplasm.