We thank the DKFZ Proteomics and Genomics Core Facility for next generation sequencing (Stephan Wolf and colleagues) and gene expression analysis (M. Bewerunge-Hudler and colleagues), DKFZ animal facility staff and in particular B. Goedecke-Weichert for support with animal work, B. Rumpel, L. Linke and D. Goldnik for technical support, D. Grimm for discussion, R. Wechsler-Reya and S. Brun for discussion and providing MERP tumours, K. Muguruma for Atoh1 antibody as well as K. Kawakami and Y. Takahashi for Tol2-related plasmids. This evidence concerns the gene ATOH1 and neoplasm.