CTCs also expressed cancer associated transcripts (BAGE, BAGE3, CT45A1, CT45A4, CT45A5, CT45A6, CTAG18, CTAG2, MAGEA12, MAGEA1, MAGEA3, MAGEA6, MAGEC1, MAGEC2, and PTTG1) and transcripts important in regulating development (HOXB7, HOXB8, HOXB9, NANOGNB, and LOC404266). This evidence concerns the gene HOXB8 and cancer.