It was of interest that the threshold for C-reactive protein (>10 mg l−1), which we established in previous studies in patients with gastro-intestinal cancer (O'Gorman et al, 2000; McMillan et al, 2001, 2003; Crumley et al, 2006), was superior to that (>5 mg l−1) used in previous prognostic studies in oesophageal cancer (Nozoe et al, 2001; Ikeda et al, 2003). The gene discussed is CRP; the disease is carcinoma of esophagus.