Thus, it is tempting to speculate that genes like AKR1B10, AKR1C1/C2, ALDH3A1, ADH7, CES1, CFB, GRP, PDKZ1P1, SAA, and UCHL1, which are found dysregulated both in the histologically normal bronchial mucosa and in resected NSCLC or HNC tumor samples, identify early events in smoking-associated carcinogenesis of the respiratory tract. The gene discussed is AKR1C1; the disease is neoplasm.