FHIT and cancer: The aim of the present study was to determine the changes to the expression levels of fragile histidine triad (FHIT), breast cancer type 2 susceptibility protein (BRCA2), MutL homolog 1 (MLH1) and tumour protein 53 (p53) exhibited by families with a history of oesophageal cancer in a region that has a high incidence of oesophageal cancer, and to determine the association of these changes with the cancer history of the families.