Tada et al. examined concentration of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), C-C motif chemokine ligand-5 (CCL-5), TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and soluble CD40-ligand, using a bead-based multiplex immunoassay in the plasma samples collected from 35 rectal cancer patients before and after nCRT. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is rectal cancer.