It is already well established that E-cadherin expression is lost in solid tumors at the protein level7, 12, 19 and that this downregulation of E-cadherin is associated with the development of metastases in cancer patients.19 Using ISH and FIHC to detect the cellular distribution of E-cadherin mRNA and protein in tissue sections of HCC patients, we observed two apparently contradicting patterns. The gene discussed is CDH1; the disease is hepatocellular carcinoma.