The authors of this paper have reported significant differences in biological characteristics, including higher rates of poorly differentiated and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER-2) positive cancers, and lower rates oestrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) negative cancers in Māori compared with non-Māori/non-Pacific (i.e. NZ European) women, which appeared to be independent of socioeconomic deprivation. This evidence concerns the gene ERBB2 and cancer.