The Cancer Genome Atlas database was interrogated for survival statistics based on tumor Dkk-1 expression.<h4>Results</h4>We report that Dkk-1 is statistically more likely to serve as a suppressor in tumors arising from the ectoderm (<i>p</i> = 0.0198) or endoderm (<i>p</i> = 0.0334) but more likely to serve as a disease driver in tumors of mesodermal origin (<i>p</i> = 0.0155). The gene discussed is DKK1; the disease is cancer.