The activation of plasticity programmes in cancers arises as a pathological consequence of genetic and epigenetic changes in the tumor cells, and/or in response to exogenous stimuli including inflammation, hypoxia, or paracrine signaling ligands, such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), that are primarily secreted by the tumor-associated stroma. This evidence concerns the gene EGF and cancer.