Five genes MYC, CD44, TWIST1, TWIST2 and SNAI1 (official symbols and full gene names presented in Table 1) which are activated in breast carcinoma stem cells and during EMT exhibited a higher expression in MCF7 cells cultured as spheroids (3-D) compared to that in MCF7 cells cultured in monolayer (2-D) (Figure 2a). The gene discussed is CD44; the disease is breast carcinoma.