In Cox's proportional hazards model (incorporating MIC-1, CRP, percentage weight loss, disease stage, tumour grade, patient age, dysphagia score, diet score, and treatment regimen), disease stage (P<0.001), treatment regimen (P=0.003), CRP (P=0.034), and percentage weight loss (P=0.002), but not plasma MIC-1 concentration, were significant determinants of survival (Table 4). This evidence concerns the gene CRP and neoplasm.