IRF1 and rectal cancer: Compared to the previous study, which investigated the association of tagSNPs in IFNG, IFNGR1, IFNGR2 and IRF1-9 with the risk and survival of colon and rectal cancer [16], our study focused on potentially functional SNPs and covered in addition to the IRFs, IFNG and its receptors also other IFNs and their receptors.