To investigate if miRNAs are involved in regulation of TGFβR2 expression in NPC, we first selected 22 clinical samples and stratified them into 3 groups based on the mRNA level of TGFβR2: (1) high expression NP group (H-NP) containing 8 NP samples, (2) high expression NPC group (H-NPC) containing 7 NPC samples, and (3) low expression NPC group (L-NPC) containing 7 NPC samples (Additional file 2: Figure S3). This evidence concerns the gene TGFBR2 and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.