This is particularly pertinent because CYGB is down regulated in both tylosis with oesophageal cancer and sporadic oesophageal cancers [33] and we therefore hypothesised that loss of cytoglobin expression would sensitise these cells to DNA damage and that this may be involved in the aetiology of oesophageal cancer. This evidence concerns the gene CYGB and Non-epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma.