Moreover, the ratios of immune-stimulatory/immune-inhibitory signatures (CD8+/CD4+ regulatory T cells) also showed significant inverse correlations with DEPTH2 scores in pan-cancer (ρ = − 0.32, P = 2.05 × 10–256) and in 18 cancer types (P < 0.05) (Fig. 4B). This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and cancer.