The identified differential modules in ATLL were mostly enriched in cancer-, viral- and immune-related pathways such as PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, Chemokine signaling pathway, Antigen processing and presentation, Viral carcinogenesis, Pathways in cancer, cAMP signaling pathway, Proteoglycans in cancer, Hippo signaling pathway, Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation, Th17 cell differentiation, ErbB signaling pathway, and VEGF signaling pathway (Additional file 3, Sheet 2). This evidence concerns the gene VEGFA and cancer.