In patients with pancreatic cancer, ATM expression in their tumours was not a prognostic factor.33 In contrast, expression of ATM in colorectal cancer was related to good survival in a large series of patients, although only a subset was treated with genotoxic therapy.34 In oesophageal cancer and early stage breast cancer, ATM expression did not predict response to therapy.35, 36. The gene discussed is ATM; the disease is breast cancer.