Epidermal growth factor receptor is widely accepted as a crucial signalling platform on which growth factor signals converge, and the effect of its overexpression in HNSCC tumours has been described extensively (Ford and Grandis, 2003; Gschwind et al, 2003; Fischer et al, 2004; Schafer et al, 2004). The gene discussed is EGFR; the disease is neoplasm.