However, given that tumour lymphocytic infiltration parallels that of other inflammatory cells (Nielsen et al, 1999; Lin and Pollard, 2004) and that an elevated C-reactive protein is associated with poor outcome in all three tumours (Lewenhaupt et al, 1990; Blay et al, 1992; McMillan et al, 2003), it appears likely that the source of interleukin-6, the primary stimulus for the production of C-reactive protein, (Gabay and Kushner, 1999), differs in different tumours. The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is neoplasm.