Although no differences were observed in the postoperative systemic inflammatory response in the reported patient cohorts, indicated by systemic CRP levels, the extraordinarily high rate of postoperative pneumonia development in statin( +) compared with statin-naïve patients after abdomino-thoracic esophagectomy might be a result of the anti-inflammatory or — in cases of impaired host defense against bacterial infection by suppression of TLR4 pathways — immunosuppressive effects through perioperative statin medication. The gene discussed is TLR4; the disease is pneumonia.