While MK2 was found to be significantly associated with a long list of cytokines and chemokines amongst gastric cancer patients including IL1-β, GM-CSF, TNF-a, IL-6, Mip-1β, IFN-α2, MCP-1, G-CSF, and IL-2; it was only significantly associated, after the Sidak correction for multiple testing, with Mip-1β among those who metastasized, revealing a new link to gastric metastasis. This evidence concerns the gene IL1B and gastric cancer.