As supporting evidence, the distinct pathological properties of SPINK1 were reproduced by extended studies that recruited individual cohorts of human breast cancer (BCa) and colorectal cancer (CRC) patients (P < 0.01 for BCa and P < 0.05 for CRC cohorts by log-rank test, respectively) (Supplementary Fig. 2a–l). The gene discussed is SPINK1; the disease is colorectal cancer.