The results from the two previous studies of soluble adhesion molecules in MDS are conflicting; Südhoff et al. [28] found no difference between MDS patients and healthy controls, whereas Passam et al. [29] reported increased systemic levels of both VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 and this increase was most pronounced in high-risk disease. The gene discussed is VCAM1; the disease is myelodysplastic syndrome.