Moreover, the expression level of ACSL4 showed a positive correlation with tumour size (P=0.014), tumour amount, which refers to the number of metastatic tumours in locations such as the lung, pleura and brain (P=0.017), TNM stage (P=0.032), and the incidence of lymphonodus (P=0.042), embolus (P=0.022) and cirrhosis (P=0.02) (Table 1). This evidence concerns the gene ACSL4 and neoplasm.