SIX3 protein down-regulation in tumor tissues when compared with their matched normal tissues was observed (nuclear staining in Fig. 2c and 2e versus 2d and 2f), with an average of 33.6 versus 5.2 positively-stained cells per 40× field respectively (p<0.001), consistent with our real-time RT-PCR results. The gene discussed is SIX3; the disease is neoplasm.