CDH1 and cancer: Moreover, during progression of colorectal and other tumors a switch in cadherin expression from E-cadherin to N-cadherin is observed coinciding with the transition from an epithelial to a mesenchymal phenotype leading to an increase in the invasive capabilities of cancer cells [6] and inactivation of one E-cadherin allele enhances tumor initiation in mice carrying a mutated adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene [13].