Although there is currently no literature supporting the direct correlation between PTTG1IP and COAD, as a classical proto-oncogene, PTTG1IP has a significant tendency of overexpression and promotes cancer cell growth in other types of cancer, which is closely associated with poor clinical outcomes (including recurrence, metastasis and lower survival rate) in patients (Read et al., 2011, 2014; Wang et al., 2014). The gene discussed is PTTG1IP; the disease is cancer.