Downregulation of the epithelial cell–cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin is frequently associated with neoplastic transformation and progression in breast cancer (Asgeirsson et al, 2000; Heimann et al, 2000; Berx and Van Roy, 2001; Lim and Lee, 2002; Pedersen et al, 2002; Rakha et al, 2005; Gould Rothberg and Bracken, 2006). This evidence concerns the gene CDH1 and breast carcinoma.