Similar trends were found when advanced breast cancer patients were analysed separately (fibrinogen: 4.1 (3.3–4.9) g l−1, 6.9 (3.7–10.1) g l−1, P=0.01; D-dimer: 2769 (1578–4859) ng ml−1, 1148 (806–1634) ng ml−1, P=0.03; TF: 271 (117–627) μg ml−1, 164 (125–215) μg ml−1, P=0.13; pVEGF: 19.5 (15.8–24.1) μg ml−1, 49.6 (15.3–160.7) μg ml−1, P=0.004, VTE within 3 months and VTE free, respectively). The gene discussed is TF; the disease is breast carcinoma.