These directional shifts in gene expression are regulated by several transcription factors, including Snail, Slug and ZEB1/2; these are induced by cell signaling activated by cytokines and growth factors such as tumor growth factor-β (TGF-β),7 tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α),8, 9 epidermal growth factor10 and hepatocyte growth factor.10 Mutations and/or epigenetic alterations in these EMT driver genes have a role in EMT induction,11, 12 and they correlate with disease relapse and survival in patients with cancer. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is cancer.