Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that the HMGB1 mRNA level was significantly higher in BUC tissues compared with paired adjacent non-tumour tissues (5.390 ± 3.329 vs. 2.373 ± 1.485, P < 0.05, Fig. 1A1, A2). The gene discussed is HMGB1; the disease is neoplasm.