Krzystek-Korpacka et al reported that elevation of circulating IL-8 was related to lymph node and distant metastases in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas, and circulating IL-8 correlated with lymphangiogenic VEGF-C rather than angiogenic VEGF-A. The gene discussed is CXCL8; the disease is esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.