To assess the prognostic role of the EpCAM-CK7/8-CD24+ population, since CD44 expression was not relevant, we combined CD44- and CD44+ subpopulations of CCs and further evaluated the differences of EpCAM-CK7/8-CD24+N-cadherin- CCs in M0 and M0mts breast cancer patients. The gene discussed is EPCAM; the disease is breast cancer.