Using a monoclonal antibody to detect an extra-cellular epitope of EpCAM in rectal tumours, Gosens et al. [120] found that decreased membranous EpCAM staining in the “budding” cells at the invasive tumour front was always accompanied by a focally infiltrating growth pattern, correlated with a significantly higher risk of local recurrence and indicated an elevated risk of distant recurrence. This evidence concerns the gene EPCAM and neoplasm.