Comparing the transcriptomic profile of CDK8-amplification primary colon cancer in TCGA versus the non-amplified cases, we showed that CDK8 amplification is in fact associated with the promotion of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (GSEA, FDR < 0.0001, Supplementary Fig. 6d) and downregulation of cell proliferation (GSEA, FDR < 0.05, Supplementary Fig. 6e), implying a role of CDK8 amplification in distant metastasis of colon cancer. Here, CDK8 is linked to malignant colon neoplasm.