In support of this notion, we found that a single dose of VLP-hCEA treatment resulted in downregulated expression of a number of immune genes in the tumour tissues that favoured tumour growth (that is, IL-6, transforming growth factor-β, IL-10, IL-23A, programmed death-ligand 1, tumour necrosis factor-α, IL-17A and Foxp3)46, 47, 48, 49, although not affecting the ones that suppress tumour growth (that is, IL-12, interferon-γ, IL-18 and iFi204)47, 48, 49, 50 (Supplementary Fig. 10). This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and neoplasm.