Although CDH1 somatic mutations are present in up to 50% of sporadic diffuse gastric carcinoma (SDGC) (Becker et al., 1994) and epigenetic inactivation of CDH1 had been detected in several tumor types (Yoshiura et al., 1995), it was not until 1998 that Guilford (Guilford et al., 1998) reported the presence of a CDH1 mutation in a large kindred from New Zealand with early-onset diffuse gastric cancer. The gene discussed is CDH1; the disease is neoplasm.