PTEN/MMAC1/TEP1, encoding a dual-specificity phosphatase, is a tumor suppressor gene which has recently been cloned and mapped to chromosome 10q23.3. We have shown that germline mutations of PTEN are present in individuals with two hamartoma syndromes: Cowden Syndrome, associated with a predisposition to breast and thyroid cancers, and Bannayan-Zonana syndrome. Somatic mutations of PTEN have been reported in a variety of human cancer cell lines, suggesting a potential role for this gene in the pathogenesis of human malignancies. We report the identification of a highly conserved PTEN processed pseudogene, cPTEN, which shares over 98% homology with the coding region of functional PTEN, and its localisation to chromosome 9p21. The high sequence homology of cPTEN with the PTEN transcript may potentially lead to misinterpretation when performing mutation analyses based on cDNA templates. Caution should be exerted when using such screening approaches.