An analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) data displayed no overall associations of DIO1, DIO3, SELENOM, SELENOW, and SELENON with survival, when not incorporating serum Se (Additional file 1: Fig. S5), highlighting the need for consideration of both serum Se and tumour selenoprotein expression in order to ascertain effects of selenoprotein mRNA expression on prognosis. This evidence concerns the gene SELENOS and neoplasm.