High levels of serum VEGF-A, IGF-I and IGF-IR were significantly associated with the presence of lymph nodes metastasis (P=0.007, P=0.007 and P=0.03, respectively) and incidence of mortality (P<0.001, P=0.009 and P=0.03, respectively). The gene discussed is IGF1R; the disease is metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.