As TGFB3 mRNA levels were increased by 84 % in tumours compared with adjacent normal tissues, the results should be interpreted as TGFB3 expression was greatly up-regulated in premalignant tumour cells and/or their surrounding cells (the bio-specimens were usually composed of <100 % tumour cells), rather than TGFB3 expression was down-regulated in malignant tumour cells. This evidence concerns the gene TGFB3 and neoplasm.