In MCF7 breast and HONE1 nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines, restoring zDHHC1 expression by methylation inhibition or by ectopic expression promoted apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, reversed epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness biomarkers, and decreased tumor growth and metastasis in xenografts. Here, ZDHHC1 is linked to neoplasm.