In the context of single cell profiling to uncover events such as transcriptional signalling of c-MET associated with early invasive cancer events [7] or with potential in the clinical setting of invasive breast cancer to detect HER2 [22], the robustness and usefulness of a technology such as RNAscope may be hugely beneficial but only if underpinned by the use of controls such as those described in the present study. The gene discussed is ERBB2; the disease is cancer.