The systemic inflammatory composite score (consists of body temperature, fatigue, S-CRP, interleukin-6 (S-IL-6), S-IL-8, and tumour necrosis factor-α (S-TNFα) levels) was calculated in a cross-sectional one-cycle study involving 60 colorectal cancer patients treated with single-agent raltitrexed, raltitrexed and carmofur, or 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy (n=20 in each group). This evidence concerns the gene CXCL8 and colorectal cancer.