We further confirmed that CXCL8 played a role in epithelial cell function in vivo, as Ishikawa FPS cell tumour xenografts in nude mice treated with a CXCL8 neutralising antibody displayed reduced neoplastic epithelial cell proliferation characterised by reduced BrdU incorporation and reduced cytokeratin 18 immunoreactivity, compared to IgG treated controls. The gene discussed is KRT18; the disease is neoplasm.