A number of pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines including CCL2 (MCP-1), CCL22 (MDC), sCD40L, CXCL10 (IP-10), CXCL8 (IL-8), EGF and CCL3 (MIP-1α) were (in some cases significantly) decreased in GBM patients compared to healthy controls suggesting a lowered immune competence in GBM patients (Fig. 6, Additional file 1: Figure S8A). This evidence concerns the gene CCL2 and glioblastoma.