Although there are a large number of genes involved in the multiple phenotypic states of an individual cancer cell, a few key genes regulations might determine the cancer cell’s phenotype or invasion and metastasis, and the cancer cell’s response to microenvironmental signals (such as oestrogen, TGF-β, survival factors, cytokines and extracellular matrix)26–28. The gene discussed is TGFB1; the disease is cancer.