We found that the levels of plasma CEA were correlated positively with the percentages of CD14+CD169+ circulating monocytes (R = 0.7655, P < 0.0001; Fig 4D) and CD14+CD169+ macrophages in TIMs (R = 0.5768, P = 0.0009; Fig 4E) in the CRC patients. This evidence concerns the gene CD14 and colorectal carcinoma.