These closely related proteins are capable of growth factor and cytokine processing; ADAM17 specifically cleaves TNFα (tumour necrosis factor alpha) [10] a mediator of inflammation and tumour initiation and potentiation [11], and ADAM10 sheds epidermal growth factor (EGF) [12] a key player in cell proliferation and survival whose receptor is mutated in approximately 50 % of glioblastoma cases. The gene discussed is EGF; the disease is glioblastoma.