CDH17 and neoplasm: However, the term ‘cadherin switching’ that usually refers to a switch from E-cadherin to N-cadherin expression, it also includes situations in which E-cadherin expression levels do not change significantly from the normal, and cells increase expression of N-cadherin or co-express inappropriate cadherins including R-cadherin, cadherin-11 and even P-cadherin altering tumour cells behaviour towards a more invasive phenotype (Nieman et al, 1999; Tomita et al, 2000; Stefansson et al, 2004; Paredes et al, 2005).