Its possible carcinogenetic role remains uncertain but there is recent evidence supporting the possibility that NOMO1 could act as a tumor suppressor gene: Nodal pathway activity is upregulated in human cancers such as malignant melanoma [19]; the upregulation of Cripto-1, a protein involved downstream of Nodal signaling is observed in many epithelial cancers like CRC [20], and Cripto-1 overexpression promotes tumorigenesis in xenografts and transgenic mice [21]. Here, NODAL is linked to cancer.