This fits with a growing body of evidence implicating VGSCs as mediators of an invasive/metastatic phenotype.19 Up-regulation of genes, e.g. SCN1B, required for normal migration and invasion processes during development, may represent a critical event in the progression towards metastasis.50 We therefore propose that (i) β1 may represent a novel biomarker during disease development, and (ii) targeting β1-mediated adhesion interactions may have potential as novel anti-cancer therapy. The gene discussed is SCN1B; the disease is cancer.