Using the TCGA/TARGET/GTEx RNA-Seq dataset which covers 23 normal tissues and corresponding cancer types (Fig. 1A), we analyzed CD40 mRNA expression and its association to its ligand (CD40LG), markers of MHC (HLA-DRA), dendritic cells (BATF3), B cells (PAX5), macrophages (CD68), granulocytes (mainly neutrophils, CD177), T-cells (CD4 and CD8A), type-I anti-tumor responses (IFNG and GZMB), cell proliferation (MKI67), cell death (BAX), cell survival (BCL2) and type-II pro-tumor responses (IL5) in normal (n = 8152) and cancer (n = 10,137) tissues (Fig. 1B). This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and cancer.