Increases in serum IL-8 on treatment were associated with a reduced PFS in a recent study of vandetanib and chemotherapy in NSCLC (Hanrahan et al, 2010); however, a small study in SCLC identified no relationship with serum IL-8 and tumour stage, chemotherapy response or PFS (Tas et al, 2006). Here, CXCL8 is linked to non-small cell lung carcinoma.